Multitracers to Predict Paleoproductivity in the California Current System

长期部署沉积物捕集器提供了一次机会，以检查深海沉积物作为近地表海洋过程记录器的保真度。这样的研究很重要，因为古海洋学研究的一个基本假设是，微古生物和沉积物化学记录可以用来研究海面条件在长地质时间尺度上的变化。目前推荐的奖项将支持对海洋沉积物中“输入”和“保存”关系的多示踪研究。稳定同位素、地球化学和微古生物学标准的使用应该能够准确地评估地表水的输入。该项目的实地阶段将在加州海流系统中部署一系列沉积物圈闭，该系统在净生产力和表层海洋学方面具有很强的季节性梯度。将利用对沉积物捕集器材料和表层沉积物的分析来开发一套独立的净生产率替代指标。最有可能提供这一信息的成分包括：生物、钙质和硅质微化石；重晶石和限制生物的微量元素，如铜和锌；以及有机质及其某些含氮化合物，包括碘、溴和磷。这样的分析应该与净生物生产力相关。

Long-term sediment trap deployment provide an opportunity to examine the fidelity of deep-sea sediments as recorders of near-surface oceanic processes. Such studies are important because a fundamental assumption of paleoceanographic research is that the micropaleontologic and sediment chemistry record can be used to examine changes in sea surface conditions over long geologic time scales. The present recommended award will support a multitracer study of the relation of "imput" and "preservation" in marine sediments. The use of stable isotope, geochemical, and micropaleontologic criteria should allow an accurate assessment surface water input. The field phase of the project will deploy an array of sediment traps in the California Current system which has strong seasonal gradients in net productivity and surface oceanography. Analyses on the sediment trap material and surface sediments will be used to develop a set of independent proxies for net productivity. Components most likely to provide this information include: biogenous, calcareous, and siliceous microfossils; barite and bio-limiting trace elements such as copper and zinc; and organic matter and certain of its nitrogenous compounds including iodine, bromine, and phosphorous. Such analyses should correlated to net biologic productivity.