SAZ Project 1997-1998: Subantarctic Zone Sediment Trap Data

The Antarctic Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) SAZ Project collected sinking particle samples from September 1997 to February 1998 at three locations south of Australia. The dataset includes weekly or higher resolution measurements of total mass, inorganic carbon, total carbon, nitrogen, silicon, and aluminium from traps deployed at depths between 800 and 3850 meters. These analyses were used to calculate mass fluxes for organic carbon, biogenic silica, and lithogenic material.

Use Cases

• Modeling particulate organic carbon export to the deep sea based on the reported flux values.
• Comparing seasonal flux patterns in the Subantarctic and Polar Frontal Zones based on the described spring and late summer export data.
• Analyzing the composition differences between carbonate-dominated and silica-dominated regions based on the reported mass fraction data.
• Studying the relationship between surface nutrient depletion and deep carbon export based on the referenced seasonal nutrient depletion estimates.

Strengths

• Data collected at three distinct oceanographic zones (SAZ, SAF, PFZ) along a single meridian (140°E).
• Temporal resolution is weekly or higher for a continuous 153-day period from September 1997 to February 1998.
• Multiple depth measurements per site, with traps deployed between 800 m and 3850 m.
• Analyses include multiple biogeochemical components (mass, carbon, nitrogen, silicon, aluminium) enabling derived flux calculations.

Limitations

• Last updated 1998-03-31 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Antarctic Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), organized under the SAZ Project.

Collection Method

Samples collected from moored sediment traps deployed during a multidisciplinary, multiship investigation.

Time Range

September 21, 1997 to February 21, 1998.

Freshness

1998-03-31 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Subantarctic region south of Australia along 140°E, at approximately 47°S, 51°S, and 54°S.