About the role of the near-bottom currents in the formation of the bottom sediments in the Gotland Basin, Baltic Sea

Bottom sediment chart, the chart of marine Holocene thickness and 17 lithol ogical profiles were made for the Gotland Deep. On the basis if this data t here were traces stripes of S-SO direction where marine Holocene mud at lev el beneath the halocline (75-90 m) is absent or where mud thickness is very low. These stripes indicate that there are strong long term near-bottom cu rrents. Traces of three cyclonic bottom currents are discovered, in their c entre the thickness of mud is increased, while under the cyclonic currents it is decreased. According to results of numeric modelling, the interpretat ion of existing sediment distributions and nearbottom currents is presented . Common scheme of the bottom circulation in the Baltic Proper under the py cnocline is given, and it is shown as a diagram in the paper. The scheme is very important for the science and geoecology.