Dataset: OFP Primary Particle Flux
Deployment: OFP_Time-Series

Primary particle flux data (500, 1500, and 3200m depths) of the OFP sediment trap time-series in the northern Sargasso Sea

Principal Investigator:

Maureen H. Conte (Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, BIOS)

BCO-DMO Data Manager:

Shannon Rauch (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, WHOI BCO-DMO)

Project:

Time Series Particle Flux Measurements in the Sargasso Sea (OFP Sargasso Sea)

Current State:

Final no updates expected

Deployment Synonyms:

Ocean Flux Program, SCIFF, Seasonal Changes in Isotopes and Flux of Foraminifera

Data URL:

https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset-deployment/704781/data

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Description

Primary particle flux data (500, 1500 and 3200m depths) of the OFP sediment trap time-series in the northern Sargasso Sea.

Access restrictions: Note that though these data are freely accessible, the PI requests that users contact PI regarding usage so the OFP can keep an accurate record of how OFP data has been used to discuss possible synergies/overlaps among other data users and also to ensure any questions about details of sampling, data quality, etc. are clear. Proper acknowledgement of the OFP time series is requested. See the "OFP Agreement" file (PDF) for Fair Use Policy.

Methods & Sampling

Dataset acquisition description

Sampling and analytical methodology are described in detail in the "2019_OFP_methodologies" Supplemental File. Please note that samples collected pre-2000 that have isotopic data were analyzed using mass spectrometry.

Conte et al. (2001) provides a description of methods employed prior to 2001.

Data Processing Description

Dataset Processing Description

Processing information is described in detail in the "2019_OFP_methodologies" document (see Supplemental Files).

BCO-DMO Processing
Version 1 (date 2017-06-13):
- modified parameter names: replaced % with "pcnt", > with "gt", < with "lt", and hyphens with underscores;
- replaced missing data with "nd" (no data);
- replaced commas with semi-colons in the comments.

Version 2 (date 2019-12-13):
- updated dataset with version submitted to BCO-DMO on 2019-11-22; same processing steps as above.

Version 3 (date 2022-10-24):
- updated dataset with version submitted to BCO-DMO on 2022-08-30 and 2022-10-21; processing steps:
- Concatenated 3 data sheets (one per depth) into a single dataset;
- Added the "depth" column;
- Added Start_Date column (using the separate year, month, day fields as input);
- Sorted by Depth, then Start_Date, then SeqDay;
- Replaced commas w/ semi-colons in comments column.

More information about this dataset deployment

Funding

Award Number	Funding Source
OCE-1536644	NSF Division of Ocean Sciences

Instruments

Camera

Supplied Name: Olympus Q-Color 5 (5.0 MP) camera

Supplied Description:

The 500-1000um and 125- 500um fractions are rinsed into preweighed glass petri dishes using deionized water, quantitatively photographed using a Zeiss Stemi SV-11 stereomicroscope in conjunction with an Olympus Q-Color 5 (5.0 MP) camera as described in Shatova et al. (2012, J. Plankton Res. 34, 905-921). In 2016, the camera was upgraded to an Olympus DP73-1-51 (17.0 MP) camera and Olympus CELLSENS (1.13) imaging software.

Instrument Type

Generic Name: Camera

Acronym: camera

Community Identifier: http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/311/

Generic Description:

All types of photographic equipment including stills, video, film and digital systems.

CHN Elemental Analyzer

Supplied Name: Perkin Elmer 240 CHN instrument

Supplied Description:

Between 1992 and 1995, total carbon and nitrogen were determined on a Perkin Elmer 240 CHN instrument; organic carbon was calculated as the difference between total and carbonate carbon. Between 1995-2004, organic carbon and nitrogen were determined directly on pre-acidified samples using either a Carlo Erba or Perkin Elmer 240 CHN instrument.

Instrument Type

Generic Name: CHN Elemental Analyzer

Acronym: CHN_EA

Generic Description:

A CHN Elemental Analyzer is used for the determination of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen content in organic and other types of materials, including solids, liquids, volatile, and viscous samples.

Mass Spectrometer

Supplied Name: Europa 20-20 or GV Isoprime mass spectrometer

Supplied Description:

Since 2004, concentrations of organic carbon and nitrogen, as well as their isotopic compositions, have been analyzed by mass spectrometry using either a Europa 20-20 or GV Isoprime mass spectrometer.

Instrument Type

Generic Name: Mass Spectrometer

Acronym: Mass Spec

Community Identifier: http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/LAB16/

Generic Description:

General term for instruments used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions; generally used to find the composition of a sample by generating a mass spectrum representing the masses of sample components.

McLane PARFLUX Mark 8 Sediment Trap

Supplied Name: Parflux conical sediment traps

Supplied Description:

In 1989, the 1.54m2 traps were replaced by the newly introduced 0.5m2 Parflux conical sediment traps (McLane Labs, Falmouth MA) having a rotating carousel to allow for multiple samples to be collected during a single deployment. The introduction of the Parflux trap (PARFLUX Mark 7G-13, Mark 7G-21 and currently Mark 78G-21) enabled the sampling period to be reduced from a nominal two month duration to a nominal two week duration.

Instrument Type

Generic Name: McLane PARFLUX Mark 8 Sediment Trap

Acronym: McLane PARFLUX Mark 8

Community Identifier: http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/33/

Generic Description:

The Mark 8 Sediment Trap is a time-series instrument that autonomously collects the flux of settling particles on an operator-defined schedule. The wide top funnel accumulates particulate specimens into individual sample bottles. The cone interior is natural polyethylene. Deploys from a stand-alone mooring or a large high-tension vertical array.

McLane Mark 8 Data Sheet (PDF)
McLane website: http://www.mclanelabs.com/master_page/product-type/samplers/sediment-traps

Microscope - Optical

Supplied Name: Zeiss Stemi SV-11 stereomicroscope

Supplied Description:

The >1000um fraction is then rinsed into a pre-weighed Teflon petri dish, swimmers removed under a stereomicroscope (Zeiss Stemi SV-11), and photographed.

The 500-1000um and 125-500um fractions are rinsed into preweighed glass petri dishes using deionized water, quantitatively photographed using a Zeiss Stemi SV-11 stereomicroscope in conjunction with an Olympus Q-Color 5 (5.0 MP) camera as described in Shatova et al. (2012, J. Plankton Res. 34, 905-921).

Instrument Type

Generic Name: Microscope - Optical

Community Identifier: http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/LAB05/

Generic Description:

Instruments that generate enlarged images of samples using the phenomena of reflection and absorption of visible light. Includes conventional and inverted instruments. Also called a "light microscope".

Sediment Trap

Supplied Name:

Supplied Description:

The SCIFF mooring consisted of a single 1.54m2 conical sediment trap located at 3200m water depth (total water depth 4200m). The 1.54m2 trap had only a single collection cup under the trap funnel, and the mooring was recovered every two months to change the sample.

Instrument Type

Generic Name: Sediment Trap

Community Identifier: http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/33/

Generic Description:

Sediment traps are specially designed containers deployed in the water column for periods of time to collect particles from the water column falling toward the sea floor. In general a sediment trap has a jar at the bottom to collect the sample and a broad funnel-shaped opening at the top with baffles to keep out very large objects and help prevent the funnel from clogging. This designation is used when the specific type of sediment trap was not specified by the contributing investigator.

Parameters

Supplied Name	Supplied description	Supplied Units	Standard Name
depth	sampling depth in meters	meters (m)	depth
PtotalFlux	the phosphorus flux, in ug m-2 d-1. Includes both phosphorus measured in the particle phase as well as dissolved/colloidal phosphorus measured in the trap cup supernatant.	micrograms per square meter per day (ug/m2/day)	P
Fr_gt_1000	mass of sample >1000 um size fraction, in mg	milligrams (mg)	mass
Fr500_1000	mass of sample between 500-1000 um size fraction, in mg	milligrams (mg)	mass
Fr125_500	mass of sample between 125-500 um size fraction, in mg	milligrams (mg)	mass
Fr37_125	mass of sample between 37-125 um size fraction, in mg (measured 1978-1996 only)	milligrams (mg)	mass
Fr_lt_37	mass of sample <37 um size fraction, in mg (measured 1978-1996 only)	milligrams (mg)	mass
Fr_lt_125	mass of sample <125 um size fraction, in mg	milligrams (mg)	mass
CorgFlux	total organic carbon flux, in mg per m2 per day.	milligrams per square meter per day (mg/m2/day)	flux
OpalFlux	the opal flux, in mg per m2 per day.	milligrams per square meter per day (mg/m2/day)	flux
MassFlux	in mg per m2 per day. NOTE: The 500m and 1500m fluxes are semi-quantitative for deployments between Oct 1992 and Jan 1996 (see "2019_OFP methodologies" file)	milligrams per square meter per day (mg/m2/day)	flux
LithFlux	the estimated lithogenic flux, in mg per m2 per day.	milligrams per square meter per day (mg/m2/day)	no_bcodmo_term
CarbFlux	total carbonate flux, in mg per m2 per day.	milligrams per square meter per day (mg/m2/day)	flux
Nflux	total nitrogen flux, in mg per m2 per day.	milligrams per square meter per day (mg/m2/day)	flux
d13Corg_lt_37_A	the isotopic composition of organic carbon (in ‰), <37 um size fraction. These analyses were conducted by M. Altabet (see "2019_OFP methodologies" file)	per mil (‰)	no_bcodmo_term
d13Corg_lt_125	the isotopic composition of organic carbon (in ‰), <125 um size fraction	per mil (‰)	no_bcodmo_term
d15N37_125	the isotopic composition of N (in ‰), in 37-125 um size fraction	per mil (‰)	no_bcodmo_term
d15N_lt_37	the isotopic composition of N (in ‰), <37 um size fraction	per mil (‰)	no_bcodmo_term
d15N_lt_37_A	the isotopic composition of N (in ‰), <37 um size fraction. These analyses were conducted by M. Altabet (see "2019_OFP methodologies" file)	per mil (‰)	no_bcodmo_term
d15N_lt_125	the isotopic composition of N (in ‰), <125 um size fraction	per mil (‰)	no_bcodmo_term
d15N_lt_125_A	the isotopic composition of N (in ‰), <125 um size fraction. These analyses were conducted by M. Altabet (see "2019_OFP methodologies" file)	per mil (‰)	no_bcodmo_term
d13Corg37_125	the isotopic composition of organic carbon (in ‰), 37-125 um size fraction	per mil (‰)	no_bcodmo_term
d13Corg_lt_37	the isotopic composition of organic carbon (in ‰), <37 um size fraction	per mil (‰)	no_bcodmo_term
Duration	number of days the sample collected	unitless	duration
Comments	notes/comments	unitless	comment
SampleID	The OFP naming convention uses the month of the mooring recovery cruise, the sequential number of the trap cup, and trap depth. E.g. %11/10-4 1500 denotes the sample was recovered in Nov 2010, was the fourth trap cup in the sampling rotation during the deployment and the sediment trap was located at 1500m depth. Samples collected using the single cup trap (prior to 1989), are named by the recovery date only (Please note: The Sample ID does NOT indicate the date of sample collection!! The start date of the sample collection is provided by the sequence day (Sequence Day 1 = 4 Apr 1978) and the start calendar date.	unitless	sample
Start_Date	Start date in format YYYY-MM-DD	unitless	date
SeqDay	Number of days since the beginning of the OFP time-series (SeqDay 1=4 April 1978). The SeqDay is the first day of the sample collection period.	unitless	time_elapsed
midSeqDay	Sequence day of the middle of the sample collection period	unitless	day
StartYr	Start year for sample	unitless	year
StartMo	Start month for sample	unitless	month
StartDay	Start day for sample	unitless	day
MidJDay	Mid Julian Day is the Julian Day (Day of Year) of the midpoint of the sample collection period.	unitless	day
pcnt_Psuper	the dissolved/colloidal phosphorus present in the supernatant, normalized to the sample mass.	unitless (percent)	P
pcnt_Corg_lt_125	percent organic carbon by weight, <125 um size fraction	unitless (percent)	C_org
pcnt_Opal37_125	mass percent opal, in 37-125 um size fraction. (3200m data only)	unitless (percent)	opal
pcnt_Opal_lt_37	mass percent opal, in <37 um size fraction. (3200m data only)	unitless (percent)	opal
pcnt_N37_125	percent nitrogen by weight, 37-125 um size fraction	unitless (percent)	N
pcnt_Opal_lt_1000est	estimated mass percent opal, for <1000 um size fraction.	unitless (percent)	opal
pcnt_N_lt_37	percent nitrogen by weight, <37 um size fraction	unitless (percent)	N
pcnt_Lith_lt_1000est	estimated mass percent lithogenic material, for <1000 um size fraction.	unitless (percent)	no_bcodmo_term
pcnt_Carb37_125	percent carbonate by weight, 37-125 um size fraction	unitless (percent)	no_bcodmo_term
pcnt_Carb_lt_37	percent carbonate by weight, <37 um size fraction	unitless (percent)	no_bcodmo_term
pcnt_N_lt_125	percent nitrogen by weight, <125 um size fraction	unitless (percent)	N
pcnt_Carb_lt_125	percent carbonate by weight, <125 um size fraction	unitless (percent)	no_bcodmo_term
pcnt_Corg37_125	percent organic carbon by weight, 37-125 um size fraction	unitless (percent)	C_org
pcnt_Ppart_lt_37	the percent phosphorus by weight, in <37 um particle size fraction.	unitless (percent)	P
pcnt_Corg_lt_37	percent organic carbon by weight, <37 um size fraction	unitless (percent)	C_org
pcnt_Ppart_lt_125	the percent phosphorus by weight, in <125 um particle size fraction.	unitless (percent)	P
pcnt_Ppart_lt_1000	the percent phosphorus by weight, in the <1000 um size fraction.	unitless (percent)	P

Database

Contribute Data

Dataset: OFP Primary Particle Flux
Deployment: OFP_Time-Series

Dataset acquisition description

Dataset Processing Description

Database

Contribute Data

Dataset: OFP Primary Particle FluxDeployment: OFP_Time-Series

Dataset acquisition description

Dataset Processing Description

Dataset: OFP Primary Particle Flux
Deployment: OFP_Time-Series