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TOOLS / C-STAR
C-Star
Computational Systems for Tracking Ocean Carbon
IN ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT
A standardized, open-source modeling stack supporting research and ocean carbon dioxide removal (CDR) quantification.
A shareable modeling system
THE C-STAR ENGINE
C-Star is being built to provide modeling support for ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE), direct ocean capture (also called direct ocean removal), and other regional ocean applications. It gives users access to shared modeling infrastructure for running simulations that are reproducible, auditable, and fit-for-purpose for ocean CDR.
Right now, C-Star supports the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) version of the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) coupled to the Marine Biogeochemical Library (MARBL). This is an open-source, state-of-the-science ocean circulation and biogeochemistry model used to simulate regional ocean transport, chemistry, biology, and air-sea carbon exchange.
At a high-level, C-Star performs setup, data management, provenance tracking, and orchestration of ROMS-MARBL. It is configurable with specialized tools and physical process modules to allow users to numerically simulate ocean CDR. Currently, C-Star models and packages are being developed to run on most standard CPU-based high-performance computing (HPC) systems.
01 Input Data
Publicly available, scientifically vetted ocean datasets that can be processed for specific regional domains. These are combined with data specific to a CDR intervention.
02 Computation
State-of-the-science geophysical modeling
03 Metrics
Output metrics specifically designed to support ocean CDR research and quantification
OPEN SOURCE
DOCUMENTED
STANDARDIZED
Infrastructure for ocean modeling
CAPABILITIES
ROMS-MARBL for simulating ocean CDR
Simulating OAE, direct ocean removal, and alkalinity + dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) perturbations.
ROMS-MARBL coupling with dual carbonate chemistry system
CDR forcing modules
Nesting and upscaling
Suitable for CDR accounting: conservation of key tracers at boundaries, controls for numerical overshoots, ocean CDR output metrics
Improving operational efficiency
Reducing the technical overhead and "pain" of running ocean models.
New utilities for rapid domain setup and I/O processing
Standardizing biogeochemistry and physical boundary forcing protocols
Modernizing and hosting the code base on GitHub, allowing open-source collaboration and better overall maintainability
Single-node containerization of the model and required libraries for maximum portability
Orchestration tools for complex, multi-step workflows on desktops or HPC (e.g., ensembles, nesting, upscaling)
Incorporating a provenance layer
Ensuring shareability, reproducibility, and auditability for CDR research and market transactions.
Blueprints: Controlled schemas for ocean model configurations and analysis tools
Workplans: Controlled schemas for orchestrating complex multi-part analysis workflows
Auditability: Verifiable trail of modeling inputs and configuration decisions via blueprints, workplans, file hashes, and detailed logs
AI readiness: Building toward compatibility with AI model context protocol (MCP) wrappers.
CODE BASES
The C-Star Technical Stack
C-Star Engine
PYTHON
Orchestration of complex preprocessing and simulation workflows based on controlled schemas
For users who want to automate running ocean CDR simulations
ROMS-MARBL
FORTRAN
Physical–biogeochemical regional ocean model, with modules for advanced ocean CDR research
For experienced ocean modelers who want maximum control over their simulations
C-Star Forge
JUPYTER NB
Automates the creation of new ROMS-MARBL domains
For users interested in building models quickly and sharing their domains
ROMS-Tools
PYTHON
Generates the net CDR inputs ROMS needs and produces high-quality figures and diagnostics from outputs
For ROMS and C-Star users who want an accessible toolkit to prepare simulations by hand
USE CASES
Who uses C-Star
Researchers
Researchers seeking to stand up and run ocean models, develop new capabilities, or advance CDR science use C-Star to share model configurations, contribute methodological improvements, and build on evolving scientific foundations for ocean-based CDR assessment.
Ocean CDR Suppliers
Project developers assessing deployment efficacy for planning or crediting. C-Star enables them to quantify carbon removal and evaluate regional-scale environmental impacts.
Registries
Organizations tracking and facilitating verification of ocean CDR projects. C-Star ensures that fully reproducible and transparent model configurations conform with their quantification methodologies.
Verifiers
Third-party consultants evaluating supplier claims for consistency with a registry protocol. If claims are underpinned with a C-Star workflow, verifiers can utilize C-Star to support streamlined review, audit, and reproduction of model simulations.
Ratings Agencies & Buyer Consultants
Organizations that do deep due diligence to provide robust ratings or review of ocean CDR projects. The transparency and availability of C-Star model configurations enables independent technical review, reproduction, and risk assessment.
Different use case?
Talk to us about how you want to use C-Star.