The deep-sea environment covers more than 90% of the ocean and contains many mysteries yet to be investigated. The submarine sedimentary layer functions as an annual ring of the ocean, recording the historical secrets of earth. However, many sedimentary dynamic processes in the deep-sea are still not well understood. Internal waves are large amplitude fluctuations that occur within the ocean and are important deep-sea dynamic processes. Internal waves are widely present in the global ocean, and can disturb and resuspend seafloor sediments. Although the internal wave deposits have been discovered in natural rock outcrop, they are rarely found globally in modern marine environments, which is inconsistent with the widespread presence of internal waves. We found the longest and continuous internal wave deposits in the South China Sea by some criteria. Internal waves emerge as the primary driving force for sediment transport, dictating the sedimentation processes across the slope of the South China Sea. This research provides valuable references and support for the identification and analysis of internal wave deposits around the world in modern marine environments.
 

sediment,deposit,ocean dynamics