The potential role of large, fast-sinking particles in clearing nepheloid layers

Abstract
The concentration of fine 0(1pm) suspended sediment in deep-sea nepheloid layers is roughly 10 5 particles cm -3 . Given this concentration, aggregation theory dictates that marine snow particles must remove fine particles at a rate of 3.5 x 10 -4 particles cm -3 s -1 for scavenging of small particles by large, fast-sinking ones to play a significant role in deposition from nepheloid layers. Assuming that one in every 10 fine particles that collide with a marine snow particle sticks to it, to achieve the above removal rate given a marine snow concentration of 10 -4 particles cm -3 requires contact efficiencies of 10 -1 to 10 -2 . Such values of contact efficiency are significantly larger than theoretical predictions of contact efficiency, but are supported by evidence from studies of radionuclide fluxes and particle size distributions. Discrepancies between inferred and predicted values of contact efficiency arise from differences in actual and model particle properties. Contact by direct interception potentially is enhanced by roughened particle surfaces and by wake capture. Wake capture is the process whereby fine particles are entrained in the recirculating eddies present behind settling particles with Reynolds numbers greater than one.