Researchers Map Marine Snow to Track Carbon Storage

A new 3D imaging technique reveals how marine snow viscosity traps carbon in the deep ocean.

Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Life Sciences

Macro photograph of textured, translucent marine snow particles drifting through dark blue deep-ocean water under bioluminescent light. — Researchers at UC San Diego and the University of Lincoln identified that higher viscosity in marine snow particles effectively traps carbon in the deep ocean. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should the government prioritize funding for climate-focused research on the deep ocean?

Researchers at UC San Diego and the University of Lincoln developed a 3D imaging method to analyze how marine snow transports carbon. Published on October 8, 2026, the study shows that viscous particles are more effective at sequestering carbon.

Why it matters

Understanding how marine snow resists bacterial degradation is critical for calculating global carbon sequestration rates. This research clarifies how physical barriers in the ocean help lock away carbon for extended periods.

Highly viscous marine snow transports carbon 6 times more effectively than less viscous particles. Researchers utilized 3D confocal microscopy and fluorescent molecules to observe bacteria struggling to penetrate the internal viscous layers.

The players

Bryce Inman

He is a researcher who has been investigating bacterial interactions with marine snow since 2021.

Scripps Institution of Oceanography

This is a department of the University of California San Diego that serves as the primary base for the research team.

University of Lincoln

This institution collaborated with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography on the research study.

The details

Marine snow is a mixture of dead plankton, minerals, and mucus that falls to the sea floor. Scientists found that high viscosity acts as a physical barrier, forcing bacteria to take more time to degrade the particles, which allows more carbon to reach deep storage depths.

Bryce Inman began investigating bacterial interactions with marine snow in 2021.
Researchers developed the working imaging approach for marine snow in 2025.
The team published their imaging technique in Nature Communications on July 22, 2026.
The findings regarding marine snow viscosity were published in Science on October 8, 2026.

The Big Picture

This study extends the Scripps Institution of Oceanography's marine carbon cycle research programs by providing new visualization tools for complex particle degradation. The findings challenge previous models by proving that viscosity is a primary driver of long-term deep-sea storage.

The application of this 3D imaging technique to human digestive tracts and coral reefs could lead to breakthroughs in medical diagnostics and reef preservation. By better mapping mucus and bacterial interactions, scientists can develop more effective treatments for gut health issues.

The takeaway

Marine snow helps the planet by naturally sequestering over 2 gigatons of carbon in the deep ocean annually. Protecting ocean health is vital for maintaining these natural processes that keep carbon trapped away from the atmosphere.