Several times a year turbulent underwater pulses of sand, mud, and water sweep down the winding channel of Monterey Canyon. Like flash floods on land, these so-called “turbidity currents” roar down the floor of the canyon, leaving a residue of sediment in their wake. A recent research paper shows that these events often carry sand-sized particles 50 kilometers (31 miles) down the canyon and leave particles of the same size behind on the seafloor. This finding is somewhat surprising because currents in the lower part of the canyon are much slower than in the upper regions.
Click here for original story, Measuring the maelstrom: How sediments move and settle during strong flow events in submarine canyons
Source: Phys.org