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Reconstructing export production at the NE Atlantic margin: potential and limits of the Ba proxy
Fagel, N.; Dehairs, F.A.; Peinert, R.; Antia, A.; André, L. (2004). Reconstructing export production at the NE Atlantic margin: potential and limits of the Ba proxy. Mar. Geol. 204(1-2): 11-25. dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0025-3227(03)00371-2
In: Marine Geology. Elsevier: Amsterdam. ISSN 0025-3227; e-ISSN 1872-6151
Peer reviewed article  
Available in  Authors 
    Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee: Open Marine Archive 101153 [ download pdf ]
Keyword
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    Atlantic Margin; sediment traps; geochemistry; barium; export production
Authors  Top 
  • Fagel, N.
  • Dehairs, F.A.
  • Peinert, R.
  • Antia, A.
  • André, L.
Abstract
    Barium (Ba), aluminium (Al), and zirconium (Zr) were measured in sediment trap material deployed at two margin settings of the NE Atlantic: the Bay of Biscaye at Goban Spur and the NW Iberian Margin. The Particulate Organic Carbon (POC)/Ba ratios of the trapped material in both margin environments are clearly higher compared to the open ocean. Although lateral advection of POC may partly explain these higher POC/Ba ratios for margin systems, it is clear that the yield of authigenic particulate Ba during organic matter degradation in the water column is lower in margin environments. In order to assess export production in margin settings we optimised transfer functions based on trapped Ba fluxes that were originally elaborated for open ocean settings. Calculations of export production based on trapped Ba flux and POC/Ba ratio were compared with calculations based on trapped POC flux only. Export production based on Ba flux show greater internal consistency amongst traps along the same mooring, suggesting that this approach has advantages over the one based on POC flux only. Estimated export productions are of the same order of magnitude as estimates of new production, but systematically fall short of the latter. This systematic discrepancy needs further investigation.
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