More than 35 nations launched an ambitious program to explore the ocean chemistry: GEOTRACES, an International Study of the Marine Biogeochemical Cycles of Trace Elements and Isotopes The concept of cycle describes the pathway by which a chemical element moves through the three major compartments of Earth (such as continents, atmosphere, and ocean). The central component of GEOTRACES is a series o
f cruises spanning the global ocean (see map) and sampling the full water column. These dedicated GEOTRACES cruises will collect water without contamination and particles for analysis of a wide range of trace element and isotopes. This strategy reflects the fact that more will be learned through simultaneous investigation of multiple elements than by studying single elements in isolation. Process studies and modelling, together with comprehensive methods intercalibration and data management, complement the ocean section work that forms the core of the GEOTRACES programme.
