# Quantitative Scale Analysis of the Channel Bar in a Braided River and Its Internal Architecture
## 2 Data Acquisition  
It is worth mentioning that, in terms of methodology, the configuration method in this study combines the advantages of both a river's beach shore and core data. The braided river sedimentation of the beach shore is helpful for distinguishing between the bar sedimentation and single river channel. Additionally, they allow for direct measurements of parameters such as length, width, dip, and trend of the main sand bodies in braided rivers, including bar sedimentation and sand bodies. Statistical analysis can be performed to determine their relationships. The aspect ratios and length-to-width ratios exhibit similar variation patterns to those of channel bar. Core data provide a more intuitive reflection of key configuration interfaces (growth bodies, interpeds, lithost stratigraphic boundaries, etc. ), guiding the analysis of vertical stacking patterns and the formation processes of channel bar sedimentary bodies in braided river settings. This research selects two beaches of the South China Sea, namely Dongfang Beach Park and Yazhou Bay Beach. Dongfang Beach Park is located in Dongfang, Hainan Province. The sea area, with a north-south coastline, belongs to the large semienclosed bay on the east coast of Beibu Gulf, facing the ocean in the west in a semifan shape. Multiple runoffs of different scales are developed along the coast. The slope of the beach is relatively gentle, and the sea water depth is about 100 m. Located in the low-latitude monsoon region of East Asia, Dongfang is in the intersection zone where summer monsoon and cold air from the north interact. Therefore, it is dominated by tropical monsoon climate all year round, resulting in a relatively stable marine sedimentary environment. Wave lifting is the main driving force for sediment incipient motion, and also the source power for the deformation of the beach shore caused by erosion and sedimentation. In this sea area, there is less sand coming from the land area. The power of the tide is weaker in the absence of large winds and waves. The sand content in the water body is low. The deformation extent of the beach shore simply caused by the tide is not large. However, under the action of the waves, the nearshore sediment is lifted up and transported along the coast under the action of the currents. Under the joint action of waves and tides in the Beibu Gulf Sea area, the water flow in the sea area shows obvious reciprocating movement characteristics during the ebb and flow. The ebb and flow patterns of different tidal types are similar, but the flow rate is different. The average tide range in the Dongfang sea area is 1.49 m. This sea area is dominated by wind and waves, which account for about 98.1%. The average annual wave height is 0.8 m. The wave is mainly in NNE and SSW directions. Combined with the local hydrological conditions, four survey areas were selected along the coast according to different slopes during the spring tide and heap tide from February to March 2020. Yazhou Bay is in the southwest of Sanya, Hainan Province, whose coastline is mainly in a narrow east-west direction. The slope of its beach shore is gentler than the beach shore in Dongfang Beach Park. Yazhou Bay belongs to the tropical oceanic monsoon climate zone, with an average tide range of 0.79 m. The tidal power is relatively weak, but the waves are mainly s-directional waves. The average wave height variation of the nearshore of Yazhou Bay is between 0.6-1.02 m. The wave coefficient is greater than 1, which is a weak tide-wave-controlled coast. According to the local hydrological conditions, four survey areas were selected in Yazhou Bay beach shore during the ebb period from December 2020 to January 2021 (Figure 1). Figure 1: Scale measurement of the sand body on the beach shore of the braided river under the action of different tide times.