Export of sinking particles from the surface ocean is critical for carbon sequestration and for providing energy to the deep-ocean biosphere. The magnitude and spatial patterns of this flux have been estimated in the past by in situ flux observations, satellite-based algorithms, and ocean biogeochemical models; however, these estimates remain uncertain. Here, we use a novel machine learning reconstruction of global in situ ocean particle size spectra from Underwater Vision Profiler 5 (UVP5) measurements, to determine particulate carbon fluxes. We combine global maps of particle size distribution parameters for large sinking particles with observationally-constrained empirical relationships to calculate the sinking carbon flux from the euphotic zone and the wintertime mixed layer depth. Our flux reconstructions are comparable to prior estimates, but suggest a less variable seasonal cycle in the tropical ocean, and a more persistent export in the Southern Ocean than previously thought. Because our estimates are not bounded by a specific depth horizon, we reconstruct export at multiple depths, and find that export from the wintertime mixed layer globally exceeds that from the euphotic zone. Our estimates provide a baseline for more accurate understanding of particle cycles in the ocean, and open the way to fully three-dimensional global reconstructions of particle size spectra and fluxes in the ocean, supported by the growing database of optical observations.

The abundance and size distribution of marine organic particles are two major factors controlling biological carbon sequestration in the ocean. These quantities are the result of complex physical-biological interactions that are difficult to observe, and their spatial and temporal patterns remain uncertain. Here, we present a novel analysis of particle size distributions (PSD) from a global compilation of in situ Underwater Vision Profiler 5 (UVP5) optical measurements. Using a machine learning algorithm, we extrapolate sparse UVP5 observations to the global ocean from well-sampled oceanographic variables. We reconstruct global maps of PSD parameters (biovolume and slope) for particles at the base of the euphotic zone. These reconstructions reveal consistent global patterns, with high chlorophyll regions generally characterized by high particle biovolume and flatter PSD slope, i.e., a high relative abundance of large vs. small particles. The resulting negative correlations between particle biovolume and slope further suggests amplified effects on sinking particle fluxes. Our approach and estimates provide a baseline for an improved understanding of particle cycles in the ocean, and pave the way to global, three-dimensional reconstructions of sinking particle fluxes from UVP5 observations.