The distribution of suspended particles in the Southern Beaufort Sea

The Mackenzie River estuary serves as an avenue for suspended particles to pass seaward. The horizontal distribution of surface suspended particles is compartible with the distribution of low-salinity surface waters. The water structure in the shelf area is highly stratified in summer due to a thin upper layer of low-salinity which has a high concentration of suspended particles. The concentration of suspended particles decreases with depth, but near the bottom a turbid layer had often been observed. It is likely that bottom current energy high enough to erode and maintain in suspension the bottom sediments below 15m in diameter does occur over this shelf area.