Time Series Particle Flux Measurements in the Sargasso Sea

鉴于对温室气体增加对全球气候和海洋化学的人为扰动的关切，了解年际和年代际时间尺度上的海洋变异性具有广泛的兴趣和日益重要的意义。长期观察对我们理解海洋如何运作的贡献是多方面和深远的。然而，这样的研究非常罕见--特别是那些以生物地球化学和深海为重点的研究。自1978年以来，最初由伍兹霍尔海洋研究所创建和管理、现在由百慕大海洋科学研究所管理的海洋通量计划(OFP)一直在测量马尾藻海深处的颗粒通量。34年以上的OFP时间序列是迄今为止同类时间序列中最长的，其对深海的关注也是独一无二的。OFP在“生物泵”中制作了一份独特的、尽管经过“编辑”的时间变异性记录，这里大致指的是从表面向深海的物质转移。OFP为深海的季节性以及深海通量和上层海洋过程之间的紧密耦合提供了第一个直接证据。它提供了明确的证据，表明中上层水域对通量的生物再处理和对悬浮物质的清除的强度。该记录记录了由中尺度物理变率、气象强迫和生态系统反应之间的相互作用所驱动的深层通量和较短期波动的年际和较长时间变化。这一奖项将为这一独特和基本的海洋学时间序列再提供三年的资金。随着记录的延长，我们能够更好地从气候和海洋功能之间的相互作用的角度来看待观测到的通量模式。百慕大时间序列站点的补充研究方案：OFP、百慕大大西洋时间序列(BATS)、百慕大试验床系泊(BTM，1994-2007年)，以及该站点在船基、系泊和自主观测能力方面的新进展，为研究海洋物理、生物和化学与物质通量之间的相互作用以及这些相互作用如何与大气和气候强迫联系起来提供了无与伦比的机会。随着更复杂的分析研究工具的应用，作为化学信号保存在回收的熔剂材料中的关于海洋生物地球化学的新信息继续被揭示。更广泛的影响：(1)系统、长期的生物地球化学观测，例如OFP提供的观测，对于了解自然的海洋可变性和提供一个参考点以解释未来可能出现的气候变化情景的影响是必不可少的。(2)以前的NSF审查小组已经承认OFP是一种无价的“社区资源”。OFP将继续与研究人员和学生共享其资源-样本材料、数据、辅助船舶时间和系泊平台的使用-以极低的社区成本实现各种调查。(3)OFP样本档案是一笔不可多得的财富。将收集的样本材料将继续对当前和未来的生物地球化学和气候研究具有无价的价值。(4)OFP提供的教育经验拓宽了许多处于职业生涯关键时刻的青年学生和早期调查人员的研究经验和科学方向。特别有价值的是有机会直接参与百慕大时间序列站点的观测海洋学、时间序列研究和综合船舶和系泊研究活动

Understanding ocean variability over interannual and decadal time-scales is of widespread interest and increasing relevance given the concerns over anthropogenic perturbations of global climate and ocean chemistry due to increases in greenhouse gases. The contributions of long-term observations to our understanding of how the ocean works are numerous and far-reaching. Yet, such studies are exceedingly rare- especially those with a biogeochemical and deep ocean focus. Since 1978, the Oceanic Flux Program (OFP), originally founded and managed by at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and now managed by the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Science (BIOS), has continuously measured particle fluxes in the deep Sargasso Sea. The 34+ year OFP time-series is, by far, the longest of its kind and unique in its focus on the deep ocean. OFP has produced a unique, albeit "edited", record of temporal variability in the "biological pump", a term loosely applied here to material transfer from the surface to the deep ocean. The OFP provided the first direct evidence for seasonality in the deep ocean and the tight coupling between deep fluxes and upper ocean processes. It has provided clear evidence of the intensity of biological reprocessing of flux and scavenging of suspended material in mesopelagic waters. The record has documented interannual and longer variations in deep fluxes and shorter term fluctuations driven by the interactions between mesoscale physical variability, meteorological forcing and ecosystem responses. This award will provide three more years of funding for this unique and fundamental oceanographic time-series. As the record lengthens, we are better able to put into perspective the observed flux patterns in terms of the interplay between climate and ocean functioning. The colocation of complementary research programs at the Bermuda Time-Series Site: the OFP, the Bermuda Atlantic Time-Series (BATS), the Bermuda Testbed Mooring (BTM, 1994-2007), as well as new advances in ship-based, moored and autonomous observational capabilities at the site present unparalleled opportunities to study the coupled interactions among ocean physics, biology and chemistry and material fluxes, and how these in turn are linked to atmospheric and climatic forcing. New information about ocean biogeochemistry, preserved as chemical signals in recovered flux materials, continues to be revealed as ever more sophisticated analytical research tools are applied. Broader impacts: (1) Systematic, long-term biogeochemical observations, such as those provided by the OFP, are essential to gain an understanding of natural oceanic variability and to provide a reference point in which to interpret the repercussions of possible future climate change scenarios. (2) Previous NSF review panels have recognized the OFP as an invaluable "community resource". The OFP will continue to share its resources- sample material, data, ancillary ship time, and use of the mooring platform- with researchers and students to make possible a diverse range of investigations at a very low cost to the community. (3) The OFP sample archive is a rare treasure. The sample material to be collected will continue to be invaluable for current and future biogeochemical and climate research. (4) Educational experiences provided by the OFP broaden the research experiences and science directions of many young students and early investigators at critical junctures in their careers. Of particular value are opportunities to become directly involved with observational oceanography, time-series research and integrated ship- and mooring-based research activities occurring at the Bermuda Time Series site