Program: Oceanic Flux Program

Since 1978, the Oceanic Flux Program (OFP) has continuously measured particle fluxes in the deep Sargasso Sea. The program was initially managed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), subsequently by the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), and is now managed by the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL). Supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the OFP is the longest-running continuous deep-ocean particle flux time series of its kind.

The OFP provides a unique long-term record of the magnitude, composition, and temporal variability of sinking particle fluxes, documenting the transfer of carbon and other materials from the surface to the deep ocean, a key component of the biological carbon pump. The program provided the first direct evidence for seasonality in deep-ocean particle fluxes and their tight coupling with upper-ocean processes. It has demonstrated the importance of biological reprocessing of sinking particles and scavenging of suspended material within the ocean interior. The record documents seasonal, interannual, and decadal variability, as well as shorter-term fluctuations driven by interactions among mesoscale oceanographic processes, meteorological forcing, and ecosystem responses. These sustained observations advance fundamental understanding of the physical, biological, and chemical processes regulating deep-ocean carbon export and provide a long-term dataset for testing hypotheses and improving models of ocean biogeochemical cycles.

Current PI:
Rut Pedrosa-Pàmies (Marine Biological Laboratory), lead PI from 2024 to present.

Former PIs:
- Werner Deuser (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), founder and first PI of the OFP, established in 1978.
- Maureen H. Conte (Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and Marine Biological Laboratory), lead PI from 1994 to 2024.