Fig. 2: PADS backscatter intensity images. | Communications Earth & Environment

Fig. 2: PADS backscatter intensity images.

From: Extent of impact of deep-sea nodule mining midwater plumes is influenced by sediment loading, turbulence and thresholds

Fig. 2

a Saltwater plume 1, 30 min after the start of a 45-min release, b CCFZ sediment plume, 22 min after the start of the release, and c saltwater plume 2, 19 min after the start of the release. The superimposed black lines are the predictions from the DP1 model (see “Dynamic plume models” section). The three intensity patches at the top of each image are acoustic reflections from the connectors of the discharge pipe, which vary in intensity because of slight changes of PADS alignment during the discharge. It took about 1–3 min for water exiting the discharge nozzle at 60 m depth to descend to the base of the dynamic plume. The DP1 model density, vertical velocity, and width results are in Supplementary Fig. 4. The ocean background backscatter intensity observed by the PADS is in Supplementary Fig. 5.

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