Deep Advective Transport of Lithogenic Particles in Panama Basin

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Abstract
Sediment traps were deployed at several depths between 660 and 3800 meters in the Panama Basin. The flux of lithogenic particles increased with increasing depth. This increase was due primarily to particles of beidellite (a smectite clay), which was identical to the clay occurring in bottom sediment on the continental slope to the west of the sediment trap mooring. The beidellite vertical flux at the Panama Basin station increased when an easterly current prevailed and decreased when the current reversed, indicating that a major portion of smectite was transported horizontally at mid-water depth to the mooring site from the nearby continental slope.