Satellite view of phytoplankton bloom (light blue) in the Southern Ocean, seen through a break in the clouds (white). This image was used to illustrate research carried out in 2009 which used Carbon Explorer floats to track the fate of the carbon from plankton blooms in the Southern Ocean. The aim was to test whether stimulating plankton blooms could reduce carbon dioxide levels and slow global warming. It was found that the carbon did not simply sink to the seabed, as thought, but was highly dependent on the weather conditions and the plankton itself.