Researchers have published findings on a study into how hurricanes affect oceans based on the impact of two storms that struck the island.

In a recent article, the University of Chicago’s Marine Biological Laboratory said that researchers used a subsurface experimental platform off the coast of the island operated by the Oceanic Flux Programme to detect particles stirred up by storms.

The study particularly focused on the effects of Hurricane Fabian, which struck the island as a Category 3 hurricane in 2003, and Hurricane Igor, which hit the island as a Category 1 hurricane in 2010.

Rut Pedrosa-Pamies, the lead investigator on the project, said: “This is the first time that a study has demonstrated, in near real time, this hurricane-induced transport from a shallow carbonate platform to the deep ocean.

“And it’s not just carbonate. [A hurricane] also transports a lot of other materials like phosphorus, lithogenic minerals and also pollutants, such as lead.”

The plain language summary included in the research article said: “This study demonstrates, for the first time, hurricane-induced transport of deep sediments from reef carbonate platforms to the deep ocean in near-real time.

“This phenomenon has important implications for the marine carbon cycle because carbonate platform-derived carbonates may dissolve in the deep ocean and contribute to its buffering and carbon storage capacities.”

Researchers found that both Fabian and Igor caused “large plumes” of sediment from the Bermuda pedestal travelling offshore and into the deep waters surrounding the OFP research site 75km southeast of Bermuda.

The OFP, funded by the National Science Foundation, regularly collects particles at the depths of 500m, 1,500m and 3,200m while also measuring water temperatures, currents, salinity and level of dissolved oxygen in the water.

“Fabian delivered a year's worth of the carbonate flux to the deep ocean in only two weeks,” the study said.

“Hurricane-driven re-suspension and offshore transport of carbonate platform sediments is also important for ocean chemistry and deep ocean ecosystems as this process also transports phosphorus, lithogenic and authigenic minerals and pollutants, such as lead, that accumulate in reef platform sediments to the deep ocean.”

However, the researchers found that not all hurricanes trigger the same response, with elements such as ocean depth, upper-ocean conditions and the specific characteristics of the storm all playing a part.

The study showed that the sediment plume caused by Igor was shallower than that caused by Fabian but persisted longer, with particles remaining suspended in the water for several weeks.

Dr Pedrosa-Pamies said: “That’s a key finding, because it proves that particles that get suspended from these extreme weather events can last for a long time in the ecosystem and the water column.

“And I’m sure this has implications for the microbiome at different water depths, and also in terms of sedimentation rates and how the particles are aggregating.”