Southern Ocean sea ice and carbon sequestration

A 784,000-year climate simulation suggests that Southern Ocean sea ice significantly reduces deep ocean ventilation to the atmosphere during glacial periods by reducing both atmospheric exposure of surface waters and vertical mixing of deep ocean waters; in a global carbon cycle model, the effects led to a 40 ppm reduction in atmospheric carbon dioxide during glacial periods relative to pre-industrial levels, suggesting how sea ice can drive carbon sequestration early in a glacial cycle.

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Article #19-08670: “Timing and magnitude of Southern Ocean sea ice/carbon cycle feedbacks,” by Karl Stein, Axel Timmermann, Eun Young Kwon, and Tobias Friedrich.

MEDIA CONTACT: Karl Stein, Pusan National University, Busan, SOUTH KOREA; tel: +82-51-510-7692, +1-773-831-4542; e-mail:

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