APERO - Carbon sequestration in the ocean

The APERO project proposes a mechanistic study of the biological carbon pump (export of biogenic carbon production at the surface and its fate in the water column – 200/2000m).

APERO aims at reducing the discrepancy between the amount of photosynthetically produced organic carbon sinking out of the surface and the biological carbon demand deeper down in the water column.

The three main original contributions of APERO are the study of the role of submesoscale circulation (~1-10km) using autonomous profilers and new optical instruments, of the function of the genes linked to carbon export and the implementation of innovative models relating biogeochemical fluxes and molecular ecology.

Based on an intense international collaboration and an ambitious observation strategy, the in situ study (target of this ANR project) is planned in 2020 (NE Atlantic Ocean: 40 days cruise with 2 vessels). APERO will reduce uncertainties in our ability to model carbon sequestration within the ocean.