A SEDIMENT TRAP INTERCOMPARISON STUDY IN THE SANTA-BARBARA BASIN
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abstract
Four sediment traps of radically different design were deployed in the Santa Barbara Basin for approximately 45 days. The measured fluxes ranged from 370 to 774 g m-2 yr-1 for the different designs. These values lie within flux measurements previously determined for the basin. Compared to the 25-year record (920 g m-2 yr-1), however, all fluxes determined in this experiment are somewhat low. Because this experiment was conducted during a general period of high storm activity and runoff, measurement of greater than average flux was expected. It is probable that the higher flux recorded by the sediments results from a significant input of detritus into the basin by near bottom transport. The chemical composition of trapped material was nearly identical in all four trap designs. The deep cone design, however, had a significantly lower Mn content. Since this trap was the only one in which reducing conditions were produced in the sample container, reduction and mobilization of manganese after collection is believed to have occurred. In spite of the very different designs tested, the factor of two agreement in flux determination and the compositional similarity of the material collected is encouraging for future attempts to directly measure the flux of particulates in the ocean. 1981.
