SCOR Working Group 116

Sediment Trap and 234Th Methods for Carbon Export Flux Determination

See also, SCOR Ocean Carbon Working Groups.

Chair(s)
Ken Buesseler (USA)
Other Full Members
Avan N. Antia (Germany), Scott Fowler (Monaco), Orjan Gustafsson (Sweden), Koh Harada (Japan), Chen Min (China-Beijing), M.M. Sarin (India), Deborah K. Steinberg (USA), Tom Trull (Australia), and Michiel Rutgers van der Loeff (Germany)
Associate Members
Anthony F. Michaels (USA)
Terms of Reference

  1. To explain the terms “export production” and “new production” and their inter-relation. How does the carbon flux determined using traps and 234Th relate to export production?

  2. To review the current status of carbon export flux determination using moored and floating sediment traps, their advantages and problems, associated uncertainties and their magnitudes.

  3. To suggest suitable trap designs and necessary protocols to get reliable flux data.

  4. To review the basis of 234Th based carbon export flux measurements, models, assumptions and parameters used in the calculations.

  5. To assess the reliability of these assumptions/parameters, the sources and magnitudes of associated uncertainties. (For example: How do the time scales of sampling, temporal variability in 234Th fluxes, POC/234Th ratio in different particulate pools affect the flux data?).

  6. To intercompare the carbon export fluxes determined by trap and 234Th methods. If they differ, what are the main causes of discrepancy and how can they be resolved?

  7. To suggest experimental design and protocols to be followed to obtain quantitative and reliable carbon export fluxes based on the above methods. Can 234Th serve as a global survey tool to determine carbon export fluxes?

  8. To prepare an interim report within 2 years and a final report in 2 years.

Approved
1999
Financial Sponsors
U.S. National Science Foundation, SCOR
Meetings

  1. 8-9 July 2001 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  2. 3-7 November 2003 on Catalina Island, California, USA

  3. 19-21 August 2004 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA

  4. 18-21 April 2005 in Xiamen, China

Group Website
http://usjgofs.whoi.edu/mzweb/scorwg116/index.htm
Publications