Sedimentation of fine-grained deposits on coastal zones and continental shelves are im- portant because of the association with chemical pollutants, and the implication to the impact on biologi- cal processes, the stratigraphic correlations, and changes in sedimentary environments. The Yellow Sea continental shelf receives large quantities of sediment from the Huanghe (Yellow) River. Unfortunately, little attention has been yet paid to the sedimentation on the shallow shelf and its features, and the vertical sediment flux in the area is poorly understood. In this study, nine cores were collected in northern Yellow Sea by the R/V Science 1 in September, 1998 and 1999 to examine the sedimentation rate, sediment flux and the provenance with 210Pb analysis. The 210Pb activity profiles showed that the vertical sediment flux ranged from 0.06 to 1.18 g/cm2·a in the region. In central part of the area, there was a patch of fine-grained mud, with the flux below 0.33 g/cm2·a. Most profiles were featured in two-segment model. Differences in the profiles reflected spatial and temporal variations in hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes. In order to determine the provenance and sedimentary setting in the area, the geochemistry of Ca, Fe, Sr, Cu, Ti and Rb in 11 surficial sediment samples were studied, which showed that in the central northern Yellow Sea, the mud deposit was from multi-source but mainly from the Huanghe River.