The Role of Ocean Skin in Carbon Uptake

The ocean skin, the thin uppermost layer of the ocean, plays a significant role in regulating carbon uptake and the global ocean carbon sink, according to a study. Researchers used an Earth system model to assess the impact of ocean skin on carbon absorption and found that including it led to a 15% increase in the simulated ocean carbon sink. However, when the dynamic response of the ocean skin to changing carbon concentrations was considered, its contribution to the sink was reduced to around 5%. The study highlights the importance of including the ocean skin in climate and carbon modeling efforts for more accurate predictions of carbon dioxide flux.