TY - JOUR T1 - Biogeochemical properties of sinking particles in the southwestern part of the East Sea (Japan Sea) JF - Journal of Marine Systems Y1 - 2017 A1 - Minkyoung Kim A1 - Jeomshik Hwang A1 - TaeKeun Rho A1 - Tongsup Lee A1 - Dong-Jin Kang A1 - Kyung-Il Chang A1 - Suyun Noh A1 - HuiTae Joo A1 - Jung Hyun Kwak A1 - Chang-Keun Kang A1 - Kyung-Ryul Kim KW - East Sea (Japan Sea) AB - Abstract This study investigates the biological pump system in the East Sea (Japan Sea) by conducting an analysis of the total particle flux, biogenic material composition, and carbon isotope ratios of sinking particles. The samples were collected for one year starting from March 2011 using time-series sediment traps deployed at depths of 1040 m and 2280 m on bottom-tethered mooring at Station \{EC1\} (37.33°N, 131.45°E; 2300 m water depth) in the Ulleung Basin (UB), southwestern part of the East Sea. The temporal variation in the particulate organic carbon (POC) flux at 1000 m shows a good relationship with the primary production in the corresponding surface water. The ratio of \{POC\} flux at 1000 m to satellite-based primary production in the corresponding region in the \{UB\} was   3%, which is comparable to the values of 2 to 5% estimated from previous studies of other part of the East Sea. The lithogenic material accounted for > 17% of the sinking particles at 1000 m and for a larger fraction of 40 to 60% at 2280 m. The radiocarbon contents of the sinking \{POC\} at both trap depths imply the additional supply of aged POC, with a much greater contribution at 2280 m. Overall, the particle flux in the deep interior of the East Sea appears to be controlled by the supply of complex sources, including aeolian input, the lateral supply of resuspended sediments, and biological production in the surface water. VL - 167 UR - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924796316303608 ER -