Sea Floor

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Sea Floor
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Sediments of the Ocean Floor

• Sediment a gathering of loose material that
  form layers
• Classified by size, origin, and chemical
  composition.
• Four types of sediment Lithogenous, Cosmogenous,
  Hydrogenous, Biogenous.

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Lithogenous

• Derived from rocks at or above sea level that
  have been weathered by wind, rain,
  freezing/thawing.
• Carried by rivers, wind, gravity, rain runoff,
  Ice Glaciers

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Cosmogenous

• Derived from small particle of space material
  that penetrates the atmosphere.
• Tektites Spray out of the material formed by
  particles

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Hydrogenous

• Produced by chemical processes in sea water
• Example Calcium Carbonates, manganese nodules

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Biogenous

• Derived from once living organisms
• A) Calcarous ooze derived from calcium that
  percipitate out of warm water Calcium is soluble
  in cold water.
• B) Siliceous ooze derived from plants animals
  found all over the oceans
• 1) Diatomaceous ooze Diatom small single-celled
  plants in temperate and polar regions

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Sampling methods

• Dredge- large amount. NOT specific
• Grab Sample- not as large of a sample. More
  specific. Surface of sediment.
• Core Sampler- small sample. Very specific
• Largest substance mined from the ocean by U.S. is
  sand and gravel.