Author(s)

Terry A. Nelsen, John R. Prom

Abstract

Signatures contained in suspended particulate matter with application to coastal-ocean environmental studies. Terry A. Nelsen ^, John R. Prom ^> ^NOAA/AOML/Ocean Chemistry Division Division, 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida 33149, USA Email nelsen@aominoaa.gov ^NOAA/AOML/Ocean Acoustics Division, 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway, Email proni@aoml. noaa.gov ABSTRACT Suspended particulate matter (SPM) samples from the New York Bight Apex collected during a sewage-dump experiment were analyzed for chemical as well as physical parameters such as particle-size distributions. The latter provided a signature of the SPM's sewage component that allowed differentiation from other components. These results were applied to a series of eight Water Column Characterization (WCC) cruises in this area. Co-analysis of WCC and sewage dump particle-size distributions by factor analysis and Distribution Component Analysis revealed patterns that allowed differentiation of sewage-derived components for

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