Dataset: Determination of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content in sinking particles at the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) site from December 1988 to December 2024 using a Particle Interceptor Trap System (PITS)

ValidatedFinal with updates expectedDOI: 10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.894099.6Version 6 (2025-06-24)Dataset Type:Cruise Results

Principal Investigator: Nicholas Bates (Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences)

Co-Principal Investigator: Rodney J. Johnson (Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences)

Co-Principal Investigator: Deborah K. Steinberg (Virginia Institute of Marine Science)

Co-Principal Investigator: Michael W. Lomas (Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences)

Scientist: Rebecca May (Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences)

Scientist: Emma Stuart (Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences)

Scientist: Matthew Enright (Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences)

Scientist: Paloma Z. Lopez (Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences)

Scientist: Debra Lomas (Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences)

Scientist: Matthew G. Hayden (Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences)

Scientist: Paul J. Lethaby (Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences)

Scientist: Lucinda Derbyshire (Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences)

Data Manager: Dominic Smith (Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences)

BCO-DMO Data Manager: Dana Stuart Gerlach (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Program: Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB)

Program: U.S. Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (U.S. JGOFS)

Program: Ocean Time-series Sites (Ocean Time-series)

Project: Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS)

Abstract

Data presented here contain elemental sinking fluxes of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus (C, N, P) from the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study site from December 1988 (BATS Cruise 3) through December 2024 (BATS cruise 422). The BATS program uses a method developed by Knauer et al. (1979) which was used extensively in the VERTEX program. In summary, to trap oceanic sediment flux, BATS uses a floating array comprised of polycarbonate tubes (7 cm diameter by 53 cm height) containing a buffered brin...

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Cite Dataset

Sinking particle data were collected from BATS cruises #3 (December 1988) through BATS cruise #422 (December 2024). Nominal deployment location at BATS site (31°40' N, 64°10' W). 

Research was conducted on many research vessels including:

  • R/V Weatherbird I (cruises 1,2,8,9,10,11,12 and 13)
  • R/V Cape Henlopen (cruises 3,4,5,6 and 7)
  • R/V Cape Hatteras (cruises 33,52,52a,53,53a,54,54a,55,55a and 56,195,196,196a 208,208a,209)
  • R/V Weatherbird II (all other cruises through 207)
  • R/V Oceanus (cruise 242)
  • R/V Endeavor (cruise 331, 422)
  • R/V Atlantic Explorer (cruises 210 through 241, and 243 onwards except those mentioned above)

Numerous chief scientists: Tony Knap, Rachel Dow, Anthony Michaels, Kjell Gundersen, Rodney Johnson, Ann Close, Deborah Steinberg, Paul Lethaby, Julian Mitchell, Vivienne Lochhead, Debra Lomas, Steven Bell, Jonathan Whitefield, Gwyn Evans, James Sadler, Samuel Monk, Samuel Stevens, Afonso Goncalves, Matt Enright, Fernando Pacheco, Zac Anderson, Claire Medley, and Dominic Smith.

Please see the Supplemental Files section for a listing of the cruises and associated measurements specific to this version of the BATS particle flux data (bats_flux_release_v006_updates.txt)

Related Datasets

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Related Publications

Methods
BATS (2023). Protocols for the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study Core Measurements. Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, 142 pp.
Methods
Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study Methods (online at https://bats.bios.edu/about/cruise-information/)
Methods
Knauer, G. A., Martin, J. H., & Bruland, K. W. (1979). Fluxes of particulate carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the upper water column of the northeast Pacific. Deep Sea Research Part A. Oceanographic Research Papers, 26(1), 97–108. doi:10.1016/0198-0149(79)90089-x
Methods
Laws, E. A., DiTullio, G. R., Betzer, P. R., Karl, D. M., & Carder, K. L. (1989). Autotrophic production and elemental fluxes at 26°N, 155°W in the North Pacific subtropical gyre. Deep Sea Research Part A. Oceanographic Research Papers, 36(1), 103–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/0198-0149(89)90021-6
Methods
Lee, C., Wakeham, S., & Hedges, J. (1988). The Measurement of Oceanic Particle Flux—Are “Swimmers” a Problem? Oceanography, 1(2), 34–36. https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.1988.06

Johnson, R. J., Bates, N., Lomas, M. W., Steinberg, D. K., Derbyshire, L., Hayden, M. G., Lomas, D., Lethaby, P. J., Lopez, P. Z., May, R., Smith, D., Stuart, E., Enright, M. (2025) Determination of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content in sinking particles at the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) site from December 1988 to December 2024 using a Particle Interceptor Trap System (PITS). Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO). (Version 6) Version Date 2025-06-24 [if applicable, indicate subset used]. doi:10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.894099.6 [access date]

Terms of Use

This dataset is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.


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