Samples were collected using either:a) in-situ battery powered pump, the "Slurper", or b) ship’s seawater line. In general, 200 liter samples were passed sequentially through a Nitex screen (53 micron), Quartz filter (1 micron) and two thorium adsorber cartridges.
Samples were collected on legs 1 (Jan.), 2 (March), 4 (July) and 5 (August) with a few additional samples in early July (SeaSoar cruise). On each cruise: Surface samples were collected at every station (n>30); 0-100 meter composite samples were colelcted at every intermediate nd long station (n>14); and discrete depth samples were collected at every long station (n>5).
At sea analyses included: a) direct beta counting for all filters and some adsorbers samples counted 4-5 times to ensure accuracy and precision and b) direct gamma counting for adsorbers.
Post-cruise analyses included: a) CHN on all filters for POC content and b) radiochemical purification and samples plus standards counted on calibrated detectors.
Reference:
Buesseler, Ken, Lary Ball, John Andrews, Claudia Benitez-Nelson, Rebecca Belastock, Fei Chai and Yi Chao (1998). Upper ocean export of particulate organic carbon in the Arabian Sea derived from thorium-234 in Arabian Sea Expedition, Part I. Deep-Sea Research, 45(10-11): 2461-2487, U.S. JGOFS Contribution No. 411.