Solutes which are generated and consumed by the metabolism of the benthic organisms are exchanged between the sediments and the bottom water. In relation to the current regime, this creates gradients within the bottom boundary layer. Until now, these well pronounced gradients within the first meters above the seafloor were only difficult to be sampled.

To analyse these gradients, the Geochemistry Group at AWI developed a new Bottom Water Sampler (BWS) in close co-operation with the Deep-Sea Research Group. The BWS is able to sample larger water volumes from different water horizons above the seafloor within short sampling times. The device aligns itself with the bottom currents and is flushed through by the ambient bottom water for a while before the samplers close. Samples are used for biogeochemical and microbiological investigations.

Contact: E. Sauter

Literature:

Sauter, E.J., Schlüter, M., Wegner, J. & E. Labahn (2005). A routine device for high resolution bottom water sampling. Journal of Sea Research 54: 204-210.