In situ determination of the accumulation rate of cosmic dust in the earth is difficult because of the large amount of wind-transported continental-derived material in the atmosphere and water-transported continental-derived material in the ocean. One apparently safe statement, however, is that the rate of accumulation of cosmic dust in the past is less than or equal to the lowest rate of accumulation of present-day deep sea sediments, provided that there has only been undisturbed particle by particle settling of the sediments. The question that naturally follows is - what is the lowest rate of accumulation for the ideal deep sea sediment? The answer to this question is the object of this paper. (auth)