The Particle Dynamics Group studies the dynamics and biogeochemistry of particle formation, sinking, resuspension, transport and diagenesis in the ocean from the continental shelf to the deep sea and from surface waters to the seafloor.
A major initiative was to obtain worldwide measurements of POC in surface waters and fine particle distributions throughout the water column using transmissometers to help determine global ocean processes of particle generation and recycling.
Our latest project has been to synthesize >10,000 turbidity profiles to the seafloor on 116 cruises in the last 52 years in all oceans to construct the first maps showing locations of regions of nepheloid (cloudy) layers near the seafloor caused by resuspension of sediments and to examine the linkage with upper ocean dynamics.