Barium Geochemistry in the South Atlantic: SAVE

Oceanic barium distributions will be defined by mapping the 3- dimensional distributions of Ba in the South Atlantic. Processes at the boundaries and in the interior of the south Atlantic gyre will be studied in the context of the unique uptake and release pathway involving biologically produced particles. The scientific hypothesis under investigation is that barium is inorganically precipitated in microenvironments during the decay of organic matter. %%% Approximately 1300 samples have been collected during SAVE legs 1-5, and another 400 samples will be obtained during Meteor cruise 11 in early 1990. A rapid and precise method for determination of Ba in seawater has been developed and will be used for the analysis of these samples.