The Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences (XMAS 2025)

Dynamics of sinking particles have been studied in the Ulleung Basin (UB), southwestern part of the East Sea since 2011. Previous studies using compositions of particles and radiocarbon isotopes have revealed that in addition to theorganic carbon produced in the surface ocean, a significant portion of the sinking particles are aged ones, resuspended and laterally transported. In this study, organic carbon and alkenones were analyzed from sinking particle samples collected at 1000 m and 2000 m depths at Station ES (37°63’N, 131°36’E; depth: ~2370 m) between 2018 and 2019. To trace the origins of sinking particles, surface sediment samples from the UB and nearby sites were also analyzed. Sea Surface Temperature (SST), the alkenone-estimated temperature from sinking particles and surface sediments were compared together. The alkenone concentrations of sinking particles at two different depths were used to trace its origins and transport pathways.

Sinking Particles, Alkenone, Lateral transport, Sediment Trap, East Sea (Japan Sea)