Lithogenic particle flux to the subantarctic Southern Ocean : a multi-tracer estimate using sediment trap samples ...

• Main Author: Traill, CD
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: University Of Tasmania 2023
• Subjects: Southern Ocean
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.25959/23249453; https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/thesis/Lithogenic_particle_flux_to_the_subantarctic_Southern_Ocean_a_multi-tracer_estimate_using_sediment_trap_samples/23249453

The delivery of lithogenic material from atmospheric dust to remote regions of the Southern Ocean is thought to be a key source of micronutrients, particularly iron, essential for phytoplankton. Here, we present a time series of lithogenic flux estimates from 2010 to 2019 using sinking particles collected by sediment traps at 1000m at the Southern Ocean Time Series mooring station in the subantarctic Southern Ocean. Lithogenic flux estimates were made based on aluminium, titanium, iron and thorium concentration in sinking particles and showed good agreement with one another. A multi-tracer flux estimate was calculated using an average of all individual tracer flux estimates in order to reduce biases associated with each element's reactivity in seawater. This mean lithogenic flux exhibited a strong seasonality, with two peaks in late spring and in summer. The magnitude of our multi-tracer lithogenic flux was comparable to previous sediment trap-based fluxes reported in the Southern Ocean and to ...