Abstract
Abstract The authors have designed and deployed a neutrally buoyant sediment trap (NBST) intended for use in the upper ocean. The aim was to minimize hydrodynamic flow interference by making a sediment trap that drifted freely with the ambient current. The principal design problem was to make the NBST descend to and stay near a prescribed depth. For a variety of reasons, the most success has been with NBSTs that were autoballasted by means of a microprocessor-controlled volume changer. Autoballasting NBSTs has demonstrated an ability to hold a prescribed depth to within 10 m. There have been two successful, concurrent deployments of NBSTs and conventional surface-tethered sediment traps (STSTs) at the Bermuda Atlantic Times Series site. During both periods the observed flow past the STSTs was low, about 0.05 m s−1, so that hydrodynamic effects on the STSTs would have been minimized. Comparisons of the trap results (described in a companion paper by Buesseler et al.) indicate that the total mass of collect...
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call