The ocean has a major influence on weather and climate. Scientists estimate it has absorbed more than 90 percent of the heat and 25 percent of the excess carbon released into the atmosphere by human activities. As the climate crisis grows more dire, it is increasingly urgent that we understand the exchange of carbon between the atmosphere and the ocean, particularly over the Southern Ocean, where we believe nearly half of the carbon uptake occurs.

MBARI scientists from the Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling (SOCCOM) project—in collaboration with the National Center of Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and a team of researchers from Université du Québec à Montréal, NOAA, the Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observatory, and the University of Arizona—used data from a network of biogeochemical profiling floats to provide vital information about how storms affect the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide. The team shared their findings in a recent research publication in the journal npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, part of the Nature portfolio. Their work will allow researchers to better model future changes to the ocean and our climate. [read more]