Increased particle fluxes at the INDEX site attributable to simulated benthic disturbance

Particle fluxes were measured 7 m above the sea bottom during the predistur bance, distur bance, and postdisturbance periods by using time series sedim ent traps attached to seven deep-sea moorings deployed in the INDEX experim ent site in the Central Indian Basin. The predisturbance particle fluxes va ried between 22.3 to 55.1 mg m(-2) day(-1) Increased and variable particle fluxes were recorded by the sediment traps during the disturbance period. T he increase observed was 0.5 to 4 times more than the background predisturb ance fluxes. The increases in particle fluxes (similar to 4 times) recorded by the sediment trap located in the southwestern direction (DMS-I) were th e greatest, which could be the result of preferential movement of resuspend ed particles generated during the deep-sea benthic disturbance along the ge neral current direction prevailing in this area during the experimental per iod Also, the traps located closer to the disturbance area recorded greater fluxes than did the traps far away, across the Deep Sea Sediment Resuspens ion System path. This variability in recorded particle fluxes by the traps around the disturbance area clearly indicates that physical characteristics such as grain size and density of the resuspended particles produced durin g the disturbance had art important effect on particle movement. The postdi sturbance measurements during similar to 5 days showed a reduction in parti cle fluxes of similar to 50%, indicating rapid particle settlement.