9310686 DYMOND A variety of inorganic and organic chemical substances generated in upper ocean may be considered indicators of the biological and environmental conditions existing at the time of their formation. In this study, the principal investigators will analyze a suite of organic and inorganic bioindicator substances accumulating in sediment traps deployed during the Arabian Sea Process Study. By analyzing trap material in time series and comparing it to the chemical composition of seafloor sediments, the investigators expect to identify reliable biomarkers generated during monsoon- associated primary production events that (1) reflect water column primary productivity and processes affecting primary production and (2) persist in seafloor sediments as potential palenvironmental indicators.
