PRINCIPAL 



INVESTIGATOR(S) Richard A. Jahnke 



Skidaway Institute of Oceanography 

 10 Ocean Science Circle 

 Savannah, GA 31411 



PROJECT TITLE BURIAL, REMINERALIZATION AND UTILIZATION OF 



ORGANIC MATTER AT THE SEAFLOOR UNDER A 

 STRONG WESTERN BOUNDARY CURRENT 



AMOUNT OF FUNDING FY 1994: $123 K 



SUMMARY OF GOALS 



The overall objective of this research is to quantify the role of seafloor processes in the 

 biogeochemical cycling of elements in the shelf system. Specific goals within this context 

 include: 



1. Quantify the export of carbon from the southern MAB by determining the deposition rate of 

 organic materials on the adjacent continental slope and rise. 



2. Determine the exchange rate of nutrients and carbon between the sediments and water column 

 of the southern MAB. 



3. Identify the processes the control sea floor exchange rates and determine their spatial and 

 temporal variability. 



SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL SAMPLING SCALES 



Benthic processes and exchange are variable on all length scales. Activities of individual 

 macrobenthic organisms may alter processes over distances of less than 1 cm while the physical 

 dynamics of the overlying bottom water may alter net depositional patterns on scales of 1-100 

 kilometers. Temporal variability is primarily driven by seasonal changes but may also be 

 influenced on shorter time scales by physical processes such as wind events. Sampling is (or 

 will) be conducted on all of these scales to assess the role of benthic processes in carbon cycling 

 in the OMP study region. 



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