A study of particle fluxes in the southeastern Pacific, a fore-arc spreading region

Particle fluxes were studied in the southwestern Pacific at two stations with sediment traps. The sedimentary material includes sea snow; fecal pellets of zooplankton; and the shells of pteropods, ostracodes, and foraminifers. The sea snow and the pellets contain diatom detritus and terrigenous particles. The indicator element fluxes of biogenic particles (the distribution Of C-org, P, CaCO3, and SiO2am) decrease with depth due to the degradation of organic material and the solution of biogenic mineral components. Terrigenous particle fluxes (the distribution of Al and SiO2sil) are practically constant in the upper 1000-m water column. The particle flux under a hydrothermal plume is characterized by elevated concentrations of P, Al, and Si. Bulk and terrigenous particle fluxes in the nepheloid bottom layer are more intense because of the resuspension of sedimentary material from the sea floor.