The post-depositional transport of pelagic sediments on rough seafloor is approximated as a nonlinear diffusive process. The topographic slope distribution of the sediment-water interface depends primarily on the apparent sediment diffusivity &kgr;, the average sediment load L, and the root-mean-square height of the abyssal-hill basement H. These parameters have been determined for the ARSRP corridor on the west flank of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge by fitting theoretical models to the slope distribution observed from center-beam Hydrosweep data. The average value of the apparent diffusivity is &kgr;¿=0.13¿.014 m2/yr. H varies between 188 and 285 m, with a mean of 230¿7 m. L is estimated to be as thin as 10 m on 5-Ma crust near the ridge crest, thickening to values greater than 50 m at 10--15 Ma and then decreasing to less than 30 m on 25-Ma crust in the western portion of the corridor. The decrease in sediment load with age may be associated with a shallower carbonate compensation depth prior to the late Miocene. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1993