Tidally Driven Dispersion of a Deep-Sea Sediment Plume Originating from Seafloor Disturbance in the DISCOL Area (SE-Pacific Ocean)

The purpose of the study was to measure in situ background suspended particulate matter concentration (SPMC) DISCOL area (SE Pacific) and its increase due mechanical mobilization seabed. disturbance experiment imitated future manganese nodule exploitations designed sediment plume generated by such activities. In direct vicinity disturbance, landers equipped with acoustic optical sensors measured current velocities SPMC. SPMC at easily up 10 mg/L thus about 200 times higher than concentration. downstream plume, lander, had a 1 mg/L. After tide reversal, recorded second time. A transport model reproduced dispersion. rapid settling coarser fraction, hardly fine particles remained suspension (and no deposition–resuspension cycles). controlled tides vertical velocity component that resulted from bathymetrical differences. may continue disperse 100+ days (up hundreds km) depending on particle size until is reached.