Sediment Trap data at 3000 metres from the Porcupine Abyssal Plain Sustained Observatory (PAP-SO) site April 1989 - June 2019.

The Porcupine Abyssal Plain Sustained Observatory (PAP-SO) sediment trap programme is sited in the North East Atlantic ocean and is run by the National Oceanography Centre (NOC). The programme began in 1989 as part of the Biogeochemical Ocean Flux Study (BOFS) programme and this data set extends to 2019 although the program continues and more recent data will become available. The sediment traps capture sinking particles at 3000m and 4750m in McLane parflux sediment traps with associated current meters, although only the 3000m sediment trap data are presented here. The sinking material is preserved and returned to NOC where it is analysed for Estimated Volume Flux, Dry Weight, Particulate Organic Carbon, Inorganic Carbon and Total Particulate Nitrogen. The mooring (PAP3) comprises sinker plus acoustic release at sea bed; microcat (temperature and salinity) plus buoyancy at 80metres above bottom (mab), sediment trap plus current meter and buoyancy at 100mab; sediment trap plus current meter and buoyancy at 3000m. The current meter data and microcat data are archived with BODC but are not part of this dataset. The mooring is deployed for approximately 1 year. Sediment traps are programmed for maximum resolution at anticipated maximum flux and for low resolution in winter. Samples are preserved in 5% formalin buffered with excess di-sodium tetraborate in hypersaline seawater solution. Estimated Volume Flux (EVF) is measured on board on recovery then these samples are stored at 4-8°C for analysis at NOC Southampton, and collaborating partners. This data provides insight into the sequestration of carbon in the north East Atlantic. This dataset comprises Estimated Volume Flux, Dry Weight, Particulate Organic Carbon, Inorganic Carbon and Total Particulate Nitrogen, measured from Particle Flux collected at 3000m on the PAP-SO mooring from April 1989- June 2019.