ISSN:
1420-9055
Keywords:
Traps
;
sediment traps
;
trap calibration
;
sinking-particle flux
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract The hydrodynamical, fluid and particle parameters which control flushing rates, flow cells, and accumulation rates of particulate matter in cylindrical (MultiPIT) sediment traps were quantified in a flume simulation using a seeding technique for 25–45 µm particles. Particle collection was found to be a trap- and particle-specific filtering process encompassing advective and gravitational entry of particles over a reduced trap aperture area, and gravitational-turbulent removal of particles at the bottom of the internal flow cell. Trapping efficiency increased up to 10-fold with increasing horizontal flow velocity (1–30 cm · s−1). For given flow velocity, the trap over-and undercollected particles relative to their weight, i.e. (theoretical) Stokes settling velocity. The trapping efficiency increased with increasing trap Reynolds number ReT, changed by the approaching velocity in our experiments. Opposite findings from earlier experiments using the flume seeding technique and changing ReT by altering the trap diameter (Butman, 1986) are discussed. Semi-empirical equations are derived for the accumulation process of light, heavy and intermediate particles. From these, measured trap fluxes can be converted into in-situ verticle particle flux except for light particles.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00877473
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