Broad region of no sediment in the southwest Pacific Basin: COMMENT AND REPLY: COMMENT

Nd and Sr isotope compositions of different phases of surface sediments in the South Pacific: Extraction of seawater signatures, boundary exchange, and detrital/dust provenance

“…The calibrated 14 C ages of the eight core‐tops analyzed (Table ) range between 4142 ± 259 and 24,226 ± 811 years, as a consequence of the very low sedimentation rates in the open South Pacific that range from less than 1 mm/kyr [ Glasby et al ., ] to 20 mm/kyr [ Tiedemann et al ., ]. Rates are considerably higher at around 138 mm/kyr on the New Zealand Margin [ Carter et al ., ], but the Bounty Trough has lower sedimentation rates than other parts of this margin: 3–27 mm/kyr [ Griggs et al ., ].…”

“…The South Pacific is one of the regions where the lowest sedimentation rates globally occur. Below the carbonate compensation depth (CCD) located at around 4500 m water depth, the Southwest Pacific basin exhibits rates lower than 1 mm/kyr [e.g., Schmitz et al, 1986;Glasby et al, 1991Glasby et al, , 2007Rea et al, 2006]. This is a consequence of the isolation and the absence of large landmasses resulting in low atmospheric dust deposition compared to other oceanic regions [Rea, 1994;Prospero, 2002].…”

Post‐Eocene intensification of deep‐water circulation in the central South Pacific: Micropalaeontological clues from dredged sites along the eastern Manihiki Plateau margin

“…For the natural reason, the pelagic sedimentary records of this area are limited by very low rates of sediment accumulation. This is manifested by an extensive field of red clay and Fe–Mn nodules on the seafloor, including the “South Pacific bare zone” where sedimentary layers are minimally developed or non‐existent (e.g., Glasby, ; Rea et al., ). Accordingly, another (artificial) reason is that central South Pacific palaeoceanography has received little attention in the history of scientific deep‐sea drilling.…”

Discovery of widely available abyssal rock patches reveals overlooked habitat type and prompts rethinking deep-sea biodiversity

“…The global map of total sediment thickness [US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( 9 )] suggests that—apart from midocean ridges—the entire abyssal seafloor is covered by sediments up to hundreds of meters thick. Even in areas that today are exposed to minimal sedimentation rates, a sediment layer of several meters thickness is assumed ( 10 – 12 ).…”