Saharan dust influenced trace element fluxes in deep North Atlantic subtropical waters

Abstract

Particulate fluxes of aluminium, cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, phosphorus, lead, vanadium and zinc in the northeast subtropical Atlantic Ocean have been determined from sediment trap samples collected between 1 December 1986 and 30 April 1987 at 1020 and 4120 m below the ocean surface. The fluxes of most elements (except Cd and P) show small variations between the different layers, and are closely associated with the vertical transport of aluminium. Elemental composition and flux rates suggest that aerosol loadings from northeast trade winds are the major contributor of these elements to depositing material. Extremely low fluxes of copper, lead and zinc also indicate that anthropogenic perturbations are of insignificant importance in this region