Ro. Ramseier et al., SEASONAL VARIABILITY OF SEDIMENT TRAP COLLECTIONS IN THE NORTHEAST WATER POLYNYA .1. SEA-ICE PARAMETERS AND PARTICLE-FLUX, Journal of marine systems, 10(1-4), 1997, pp. 359-369
Vertical particle flux was recorded in the Northeast Water polynya (NE
W) by means of moored time series sediment traps from August 1992 to J
uly 1993. Traps were deployed with USCGC Polar Sea at four positions i
n a trough of the polynya. The recorded annual flux varied between 4.2
-9.8 g/m(2) at 130 m and 26-33 g/m(2) at 50 m above the sea bottom. Th
e amount of settling particles in the NEW is controlled to a high degr
ee by the ice regime (e.g,, total ice concentration, variability, ice
type fraction, snow and the melt period) due to its impact on the prod
uction of primary formed particles. By using passive microwave satelli
te data from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager, it was possible to r
elate particle flux with total ice concentration and its changes on sh
ort (several days) and long term scales for individual sampling period
s, In combination with the dry weight of the collected particles, it i
s possible to examine the relation of ice parameters and its impact on
the sedimenting processes in the NEW, Of particular interest is the c
orrelation of three sedimenting periods associated with ice formation
in the fall, the effect of the winter polynya based on new ice formati
on, and the melt period.