Award Abstract # 1233272
Collaborative Research: GEOTRACES Pacific Section: The Geochemistry of Size-fractionated Suspended Particles Collected by In-situ Filtration

NSF Org: OCE
Division Of Ocean Sciences
Recipient: WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION
Initial Amendment Date: February 21, 2013
Latest Amendment Date: July 18, 2014
Award Number: 1233272
Award Instrument: Continuing Grant
Program Manager: Donald L. Rice
OCE
 Division Of Ocean Sciences
GEO
 Directorate For Geosciences
Start Date: March 1, 2013
End Date: January 31, 2015 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $550,681.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $550,681.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2013 = $201,349.00
FY 2014 = $145,920.00
History of Investigator:
  • Phoebe Lam (Principal Investigator)
    pjlam@ucsc.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
266 WOODS HOLE RD
WOODS HOLE
MA  US  02543-1535
(508)289-3542
Sponsor Congressional District: 09
Primary Place of Performance: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
183 Oyster Pond Road
Woods Hole
MA  US  02543-1501
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
09
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): GFKFBWG2TV98
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): Chemical Oceanography,
OCE-Ocean Sciences Research
Primary Program Source: 01001314DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
01001415DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 1670, 9189, 9198, EGCH
Program Element Code(s): 1670, 6899
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.050

ABSTRACT

Particles play essential roles in the cycling and distribution of trace elements and isotopes (TEI). For instance scavenging onto particles and removal by particle export is a major sink for many TEIs. However the driving factors affecting the spatial extent and temporal variability of TEI scavenging remain largely unknown. The U.S. GEOTRACES East Pacific Zonal Transect between Peru and Tahiti will cross three biogeochemically important areas, setting the stage for researchers to constrain unknowns surrounding particle scavenging.

Scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities will address fundamental questions on the location of particle formation, particle-dissolved species interactions, dominant particle phases, and the evolution of particle phases during transport. As regards particle phases, the researchers will measure particulate organic carbon (POC), calcium carbonate, opal, lithogenics, and oxyhydroxides, as well as the trace element compositions of size fractionated particles covering three distinct zones: large lateral productivity gradients, a major oxygen deficient zone off the coast of Peru, and a world renowned hydrothermal plume emanating from the southern East Pacific Rise. Furthermore, since previous results suggest particle type affects scavenging, investigators will specifically measure acid-leachable trace metals, particle concentration, and major particle composition. These combined measurements will allow them to disentangle the relative importance of hydrothermal particles, benthic nepheloid layers, and high productivity margins for scavenging of TEIs. The cruise transect will also offer unique opportunities to examine the speciation of Fe and POC in hydrothermal particles away from the vent field and the effects of aggregation and POC coatings on TEI partitioning.

As regards broader impacts, the researchers plan to create an educational module on particulate trace metals in the ocean which would become part of a five part GEOTRACES webinar series developed by Dr. Benjamin Twining at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in collaboration with the Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence-Ocean Systems at the University of Maine. One graduate student from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and one graduate student from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, would be supported and trained as part of this project. In addition, an undergraduate student would participate in the research during the summer month as part of the Woods Hole Diversity Initiative Partnership in Education program.

Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.

Print this page

Back to Top of page