The waste products of all organisms in the ocean occur in two main forms: dissolved (DOM) and particulate (POM) organic matter. Usually, these two groups are studied separately. However, physical processes such as turbulence can lead DOM to form POM. This formation of particles is potentially an important feature in the marine carbon cycle that has been little studied.

With a series of experiments three Nansen Legacy fellows are addressing the question how the transition of DOM to POM changes between seasons. The seasonal aspect is important, as the amount and composition of DOM varies among seasons. This may influence its potential to form particles. Therefore, the same experiments are run repeatedly during a whole year (September 2020- September 2021).

Since seasonal access to Arctic waters is difficult, the study is conducted with water from Ramfjord, which, with its seasonal ice cover and its location in Northern Norway, is considered representative for an Arctic fjord.

The experiments are accompanied by the analysis of a set of biological parameters that influence the amount and composition of DOM and POM in Ramfjorden. This will provide information on the seasonal variation of the biological system and its potential to influence the transition of DOM to POM.