CUSTARD

Project Overview

CUSTARD examined how seasonal changes in the Southern Ocean affect the depth at which exported organic carbon is remineralized back to CO2. Understanding remineralization depth is critical because carbon remineralized below ~1000m is effectively sequestered from the atmosphere on centennial timescales.

The project focused on the Scotia Sea, deploying biogeochemical sensors and particle sampling systems to track carbon export and transformation through the twilight zone during the transition from summer productivity to winter mixing.

CUSTARD contributed to understanding how seasonal cycles in Southern Ocean physics and biology control the efficiency of long-term carbon storage.