Pelagic sediment
These particles consist primarily of either the microscopic, calcareous or siliceous shells of phytoplankton or zooplankton; clay-size siliciclastic sediment; or some mixture of these.The second factor is water depth, which affects the preservation of both siliceous and calcareous biogenic particles as they settle to the ocean bottom.The final factor is ocean fertility, which controls the amount of biogenic particles produced in surface waters.As they were transported, the finer clays may have stayed in suspension for a hundred years or more within the water column before they settled to the ocean bottom.The settling of this clay-size sediment occurred primarily by the formation of clay aggregates by flocculation and by their incorporation into fecal pellets by pelagic organisms.
Total sediment thickness of the ocean floor
Deposits are thick on the continental shelves, and thinnest in the deep sea on either side of the
mid-ocean ridge
.
SedimentsTerrigenous (lithogenous)BiogenousRoundnessSortingGrain sizebouldercobblegravelpebblegranulecolloidooliteManganese nodulesOolitic aragonite sandTektitesBy processSedimentationSedimentary budgetSediment transportcoastalWeatheringErosionAeolian (windborne) transportBiomineralizationBioturbationCompactionConcretionExner equationFluvial processesGlacier flowice-sheet dynamicsice raftingLithificationSiltationTurbidity currentsBy structureSedimentary structuresBedformscross-beddingdunessgraded beddingripple marksAlluvial fanAlluvial riverPaleocurrent indicatorssole markingsimbricationRiver deltaSediment–water interfaceSedimentary basinSoft-sediment deformationUnconformityVegetation-inducedmatrixpore spacepermeabilitymorphologytextureCatenaSoil horizonSoil salinityHydropedologyMineralizationMicrobial calcite precipitationMarine sedimentAbyssal fanAragonitearagonite seaCalcitecalcite seaAmorphous calcium carbonateCalcificationContinental riseBay mudBioirrigationCoastal sediment transportCoastal sediment supplyEvaporitesMarine claypelagic red clayMarine regressiontransgressionturbiditecontouritehemipelagiteSalt tectonicsTidal bundleBiogenous sedimentsCalcareous oozebiogenic calcificationcalcareous nannoplanktonSiliceous oozebiogenic silicasilicificationdiatomaceous earthradiolariteMicrofossilReverse weatheringSoil biomantleSoil zoologysoil pathogensPedodiversitySoil biodiversityRhizosphereroot microbiomeSedimentary carbonSoil carbon storageSoil carbonSedimentary rockBadlandsCarbonateslimestonedolomiteClasticconglomeratebrecciasandstonemudrockEvaporiteGreywackeIron-richOrganic-richPhosphoriteSiliceousgeology