Equipment Supplement for the Cariaco Ocean Time Series

Cariaco海洋学时间序列计划收集了位于北纬10‘30度、’40‘W的系统海洋测量数据，以了解Cariaco盆地气候、水文和泥沙产积之间的相互关系。Cariaco是委内瑞拉大陆边缘的一个1400米深的凹地，在一个浅(约140米)的基岩上公开与大西洋表面相连。由于盆地水的周转缓慢(Deuser，1973)，下沉物质的分解导致约275m以下的永久缺氧。在这个天然的陆架沉积圈闭中，保存了广泛用于研究全新世和晚更新世气候变化的优良沉积记录。在这方面，Cariaco时间序列提供了关于现代生物地球化学过程的信息，将作为准确解释气候变化的这一沉积物档案的基础。最近资助的Cariaco项目再延长五年(2003-2008年)将产生(1)Cariaco盆地副热带水下上升流的变异性时间序列，包括横向运动，及其对初级生产力和颗粒物质垂直通量的影响；(2)Cariaco盆地海表面温度的各种替代指标的首次直接校准和同时相互参照；(3)阐明侧向输送和化学自养作为颗粒物来源的相对重要性，(4)评估颗粒通量的变化主要是由当地风还是热带大西洋尺度的区域海洋过程驱动的，以及(5)评估营养物质可获得性/限制的变化是否会导致重大的生态系统变化。这个沉积物捕集器将被添加到我们现有的四个捕集器阵列中，并将解决在足够浅的深度(~150米)没有捕捉器来准确估计出口流量的问题。更广泛的影响：Cariaco时间序列项目对美国的学生以及加勒比海和拉丁美洲的学生和科学家产生了重大的教育影响。美国大学的三名博士生已经完成了Cariaco项目的学位工作，目前还有四名博士生参与了这项研究。委内瑞拉科技部认为Cariaco是委内瑞拉有史以来最重要的海洋研究项目，并将其作为示范项目，为其他学科的资金提供方向。

ABSTRACTOCE 0432616The Cariaco oceanographic time series program collects systematic oceanographic measurements at 10'30N 64'40'W in order to understand the interrelationships between changes in climate, hydrography and sediment production and accumulation in Cariaco Basin. Cariaco is a 1,400-m deep depression on the Venezuelan continental margin that is openly connected to the surface Atlantic Ocean above a shallow (~140 m) sill. Because turnover of basin waters is slow (Deuser, 1973), decomposition of the sinking material leads to permanent anoxia below about 275 m. An excellent sediment record that is widely used to study Holocene and late Pleistocene changes in climate is preserved in this natural continental-shelf sediment trap. In this context, the Cariaco time series provides information on modern biogeochemical processes that will serve as a basis for accurately interpreting this sediment archive of climate change.The recently funded continuation of the Cariaco project for an additional five years (2003- 2008) will yield (1) a time series of the variability of the upwelling of Subtropical Underwater in the Cariaco Basin, including lateral motion, and its impact on primary productivity and the vertical flux of particulate matter; (2) the first direct calibration and concurrent cross-reference of various proxies of sea surface temperature of the Cariaco Basin; (3) clarification of the relative importance of lateral transport and chemoautotrophy as sources of particulates, (4) an assessment of whether variability in the particle flux is driven primarily by local winds or by regional oceanographic processes at the scale of the Tropical Atlantic, and (5) an evaluation of whether changes in nutrient availability/limitation result in major ecosystem changes.With funding through this small award, researchers from the University of South Carolina will purchase of an additional sediment trap and associated supplies. This sediment trap will be added to our existing array of four traps and will address the problem of not having a trap at a shallow enough depth (~150 m) to get an accurate estimate of export flux. Broader Impacts: The Cariaco time series program has significant educational impact on students in the US and on students and scientists in the Caribbean and Latin America. Three PhD students at U.S. universities have completed their degrees working on the Cariaco Project and four more are currently involved in this study. The Venezuelan Ministry for Science and Technology considers CARIACO the most significant oceanographic research program ever conducted in Venezuela, and uses it as a model program to provide direction for funding in other disciplines.