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Neutrally Buoyant Sediment Traps


Neutrally Buoyant Sediment Traps (NBSTs) are specially designed containers deployed in the water column to collect particles falling toward the sea floor.
Credit: NASA. Download this image (JPG, 150 KB).
[08-Aug-18] Neutrally Buoyant Sediment Traps (NBSTs) are specially designed containers deployed in the water column to collect particles falling toward the sea floor. Designed by researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the NBST's central cylinder controls buoyancy and houses a satellite transmitter. The other tubes collect sediment as the trap drifts at a predetermined depth. The samples are collected when the tubes snap shut before it returns to the surface.