Articles | Volume 23, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2179-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2179-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Estimating particulate organic matter flux from in-situ optics: A framework for correcting for suspended particles and incorporating depth-dependent degradation
Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Center for Polar and Marine Research Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven, Germany
MARUM and University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
Lili Hufnagel
Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Center for Polar and Marine Research Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven, Germany
MARUM and University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
current address: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of River Ecology, Magdeburg, Germany
Simon Ramondenc
Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Center for Polar and Marine Research Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven, Germany
MARUM and University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
current address: Sorbonne University, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
Clara M. Flintrop
Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Center for Polar and Marine Research Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven, Germany
ccurrent address: The Fredy & Nadine Herrmann Institute of Earth Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences, Eilat, Israel
Rainer Kiko
Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, LOV Institut de la Mer de Villefranche, IMEV, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
Department of Biological Oceanography, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
Tim Fischer
Department of Physical Oceanography, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
Helena Hauss
Division of Climate & Environment, Norwegian Research Centre (NORCE), Bergen, Norway
Department of Ocean Ecosystems Biology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
Arne Körtzinger
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
Department of Chemical Oceanography, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
Gerhard Fischer
MARUM and University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
Morten H. Iversen
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Center for Polar and Marine Research Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven, Germany
MARUM and University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
Data sets
The global marine particle size distribution dataset obtained with the Underwater Vision Profiler 5 R. Kiko et al. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.924375
Physical oceanography (CTD) during METEOR cruise M160 M. Dengler et al. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.943432
Short summary
The presented framework advances estimates of particulate organic carbon and nitrogen fluxes in the water column derived from in situ imaging-based particle size distribution data. By accounting for non-sinking particles, depth-dependent degradation, and a dynamic carbon-to-nitrogen ratio that evolves with particle age during settling, it provides a more accurate representation of organic matter export to the deep ocean.
The presented framework advances estimates of particulate organic carbon and nitrogen fluxes in...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint