Chukchi Sea Currents Drive Carbon to Seafloor 4x Faster, Stanford Study Shows

Researchers from the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability found that ocean currents in the Arctic's Chukchi Sea accelerate the sinking of carbon-rich phytoplankton to the seafloor at four times the normal rate. During a 2023 expedition, they observed massive under-ice blooms, up to 10 times denser than those in open water, which then get forced downward by colliding water masses. This rapid export of organic carbon supports rich benthic ecosystems and could enhance long-term carbon storage in deep-sea sediments. The study, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, highlights a mechanism that current global ocean carbon models may not fully capture. As Arctic warming continues, the timing of these blooms could shift, potentially disrupting food webs and altering the balance between surface and seafloor ecosystems. Understanding these dynamics is important for improving predictions of carbon sequestration and ecosystem responses in a changing climate.