Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Particles sinking into the ocean’s interior are a food source for deep-sea ecosystems and sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Yet, measurements of the sinking flux are sparse, leaving substantial uncertainties in its magnitude and variability. We demonstrate how a fleet of Argo floats has serendipitously measured the sinking flux for the last decade because particles settled onto the floats while adrift deep below the surface and were resuspended during ascent. With these new-found particle “traps”, we estimate a global sinking flux of 790 TgC yr⁻¹ (95% C.I. 470–1,120 TgC yr⁻¹) at 1,000 m depth, where carbon is sequestered on timescales of centuries. This set of unanticipated flux observations offers a new way to investigate the biological carbon pump at the relevant scales and frequencies. Such observations will be valuable for addressing how the sinking particle flux responds to climate change and potential initiatives aimed at sequestering atmospheric carbon.
DOI: 10.31223/x5481s
Authors: Adam Stoer, Bin Wang, Katja Fennel
Institution: Dalhousie University
Language: English
Subfield: Oceanography
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7223460892