SGER: Carbon Isotopes in Particulate and Dissolved Organic Carbon in the NE Pacific during the ENSO Event of 1997-98

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9808537 Druffel ABSTRACT As part of a rapid response effort to study the consequences of the 1997-1998 El Nino on carbon fluxes in the waters off of California, the Principal Investigators, Drs. E. Druffel and J. Bauer, will measure carbon isotopes in samples to be collected in collaboration with Dr. Ken Smith. A record of deep ocean sediment fluxes has been initiated by Dr. Smith using moored time-series sediment traps at a site previously occupied by this group for a period of 7 years. It is hypothesized that the current El Nino will dramatically alter carbon fluxes, and hence have a significant impact on the cycling of organic carbon (OC) in the water column and the delivery of OC to the seafloor and hence the response of the benthic community. The 1997-1998 El Nino is considered to be a major event within this century and the opportunity should not be missed to collect and analyze these unique samples. Such data would provide new insights into OC cycling, provide important constraints on the effects of El Nino on the benthic communities, and would allow for improved understanding and planning of future El Nino studies. Due to the rapid response required to initiate this study during the ongoing El Nino season, the SGER process is being used to continue the time-series record though 1998 and to conduct studies of sediment community response (Ken Smith, lead PI OCE-9807103). Drs. Druffel and Bauer will use 14C and 13C isotopes and measurements of particulate, dissolved and sinking OC to evaluate the effect of the El Nino on OC distributions and turnover under these anomalous conditions.