Saharan dust influenced trace element fluxes in deep North Atlantic subtropical waters

An examination of the sediment trap samples, collected between Dec 1, 1986, and Apr 30, 1987, at 1020 and 4120 m below the northeast subtropical Atlantic Ocean surface, contained particulate fluxes of copper, iron, aluminium, cobalt, manganese, cadmium, lead, zinc, vanadium, phosphorus and nickle. An analysis of the elemental composition and flux rates suggests that the major contributor of these elements to depositing material are brought by the northeast trade winds.