Museum archives of the 19 years long time-series sediment trap samples collected at central subarctic Pacific Station SA and Bering Sea Station AB during 1990-2010

Abstract

PARLUX type sediment traps were moored at 600 m above the sea-floor at Station SA (water depth: 5,406m) in the central subarctic Pacific and at Station AB (water depth: 3,788m) in the Aleutian Basin of the Bering Sea. The time-series flux samples were obtained during 1990-2010 for nineteen years. This allowed us to characterize primary fluxes of biogenic particles primarily produced near the surface layers of the deep water columns as well as to decipher the environmental variations associated with climate changes. Based on the samples various studies were conducted thus far, including the followings types: quantitative plankton taxon-numerical studies on diatoms, silicoflagellates, radiolarians, coccolithophores and planktic foraminfers; and geochemical aspects of chemical compounds such as biogenic opal, calcium carbonate and hexosamine as well as elements such as rare earth elements. Such studies published thus far are cited in this paper. The sediment trap samples are archived at the Kyushu University Museum for permanent preservation. The grand total of the currently archived samples, including membrane filters and microslides for the two stations, is 3,552. The details of the samples are described herein and spreadsheet tables of the archives will also be electronically published by the Museum. This makes it possible for future scientists and students, who need to examine the relevant sediment trap samples, to access them properly.