A bottom-tethered time-series sediment trap experiment and preliminary laboratory and analysis program will be conducted to GOFS with a coherent body of information on the quality and quantity particle fluxes in the interior of the North Atlantic along the 20 degree W meridian. A synchronized time-space matrix will be formed using 3 fixed trap depths: 1000 m. 2000 m in depth, and 700 m above the floor, at two GOFS 20 degrees W stations: at approximately 33 degrees N, and 47 degrees N. A unit sampling periods will be 2 weeks and the experiment will be continued without interruption for at least 2 years. The cups are pre-poisoned with buffered formaldehyde preservative and, except for during the collection phrase, are positively sealed from ambient sea water throughout the period of deployment. The proposed GOFS array matrix will be deployed using SYNCTISE mooring deployment techniques and will be maintained during two 3-week periods of shiptime, prioritized for array deployment, on a medium/large-sized research vessel each year. The proposed experiment will result in the collection of 144 unit samples each year making up the GOFS time-space matrix from the North Atlantic 20 degree W transect.
