Dataset on the chemical composition of suspended particulates in waters of the Southeastern U. S. Atlantic continental shelf between ca. 28 ͦ and 33 ͦ N
Description
These data were used to investigate particle provenance, transport and fate on the continental shelf off the southeastern US Atlantic coast. Samples were collected along eight transects across the shelf; four off South Carolina and N. Georgia during the spring of 1985 (SPREX) and four off Georgia and Florida during the fall of 1987 (FLEX) Significant influence of terrestrial sources of suspended particles is limited to the inner shelf, however the concentrations of some metals, such as rare earths, appear to reflect this provenance across the shelf. Mid-outer shelf particles are dominated by re-suspended biogenic carbonates and biogenic organic carbon rich particles formed in response to Gulf Stream up welled nutrients. Particulate trace element concentrations and primary production in mid-outer shelf waters are interpreted as a response to not only nutrient, but also trace metal enrichment of up welled Gulf Stream water intruded onto the shelf. Based on particle chemistry, micro nutrients such as Fe in upwelled waters may be limiting in sustaining mid-outer shelf production. Other trace metals such as Sc appear to be enriched due to adsorption on organic rich particles. And the formation SrSO4 particles, originating from Acantharian spicules, appear to create an environment for the precipitation of barite in outer shelf surface waters.