Ocean Floor Sediments Thickness

Ocean basin ocean basin deep sea sediments.

Ocean floor sediments thickness. Near the surface the sea floor sediments remain unconsolidated but at depths of hundreds to thousands of metres depending on the type of sediment and other factors the sediment becomes lithified. Sediment thickness data were compiled from three principle sources. The sediment on the young sea floor is not very deep because it has not had nearly as much time to accumulate. Sedimentary rocks and sea floor sediments thickness range from a few millimeters to several tens of kilometers.

I previously published isopach maps including ludwig and houtz 1979 matthias et al. Therefore the thickness of sediment on new crust can be used as crude type of geologic clock. Seismic reflection and refraction data have been used to add detail to the conjugate australian and antarctic margins and intervening ocean floor where previously regional sediment thickness patterns were. The ocean basin floor is everywhere covered by sediments of different types and origins.

Ii ocean drilling results both from the ocean drilling program odp and the deep sea drilling. Ncei s global ocean sediment thickness grid divins 2003 has been updated for the australian antarctic region 60 155 e 30 70 s. Sediment thickness in the oceans averages about 450 metres 1 500 feet. Sea floor sediments and sedimentary rocks can range in thickness from a few millimetres to several tens of kilometres.

Ocean sediments can be defined as the unconsolidated accumulation of inorganic and organic particles on the ocean floor.