Abstract
Marine nepheloid layer is widely distributed in the oceans and marginal seas. The concentration of suspended particles in the nepheloid layer is significantly higher than that of the adjacent layers. Marine nepheloid layers include the surface nepheloid layer (SNL), intermediate nepheloid layer (INL), and bottom nepheloid layer (BNL). As a transport pathway for the particulate matter in the oceans, nepheloid layer is important to the carbon cycle and the source–sink system at the continental margin. This paper focused on the characteristics of the marine nepheloid layer and the mechanism of internal solitary waves that form INL and BNL, providing a reference for further research on the marine ecological environment dynamic process and source–sink system. BNL is formed by suspended seabed sediments with strong currents near the bottom, but the fate of BNL remains unknown. Marine nepheloid layer significantly affects the transportation of materials within the ocean. The transport of sediments by ISWs dramatically affects the formation of deep seabed sedimentary landform. However, the formation process and the transport contribution of INL and BNL are still unclear. The systematic and long-term research on the marine nepheloid layer in the world oceans is still limited.
Highlights
Marine nepheloid layer is a turbid layer containing significantly more suspended particles than the adjacent layers in oceans
intermediate nepheloid layer (INL) only was found in the Atlantic Ocean at depths of 3200~3700 m, which was the result of the Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) suspending sediment at depths of 4300 m [20]
The INL and bottom nepheloid layer (BNL) are ubiquitous in the marginal sea, which significantly contributes to the transport of shelf suspended sediment and particulate matter from the ocean margin to the ocean interior [12,21,39,59]
Summary
Marine nepheloid layer is a turbid layer containing significantly more suspended particles than the adjacent layers in oceans. Sources of the suspended particles in the nepheloid layer include the surface organisms as well as the resuspension and lateral transport of continental margin seabed sediments [42]. The nepheloid layers in the ocean only include SNLs and BNLs. INL only was found in the Atlantic Ocean at depths of 3200~3700 m, which was the result of the Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) suspending sediment at depths of 4300 m [20]. INL only was found in the Atlantic Ocean at depths of 3200~3700 m, which was the result of the Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) suspending sediment at depths of 4300 m [20] As it is far away from the continental margin, the ocean water is cleaner, and the concentration of suspended matter is smaller. Interdisciplinary research by field observations among physical oceans, marine biology, marine geology, etc., is needed
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