A 17-year dataset of surface water fugacity of CO<sub>2</sub> along with calculated pH, aragonite saturation state and air–sea CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes in the northern Caribbean Sea

Abstract

<jats:p>Abstract. A high-quality dataset of surface water fugacity of CO2 (fCO2w)1, consisting of over a million observations, and derived products are presented for the northern Caribbean Sea, covering the time span from 2002 through 2018. Prior to installation of automated pCO2 systems on cruise ships of Royal Caribbean International and subsidiaries, very limited surface water carbon data were available in this region. With this observational program, the northern Caribbean Sea has now become one of the best-sampled regions for pCO2 of the world ocean. The dataset and derived quantities are binned and averaged on a 1∘ monthly grid and are available at http://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0207749 (last access: 30 June 2020) (https://doi.org/10.25921/2swk-9w56; Wanninkhof et al., 2019a). The derived quantities include total alkalinity (TA), acidity (pH), aragonite saturation state (ΩAr) and air–sea CO2 flux and cover the region from 15 to 28∘ N and 88 to 62∘ W. The gridded data and products are used for determination of status and trends of ocean acidification, for quantifying air–sea CO2 fluxes and for ground-truthing models. Methodologies to derive the TA, pH and ΩAr and to calculate the fluxes from fCO2w temperature and salinity are described. </jats:p>

Inorganic Carbon Transport and Dynamics in the Florida Straits

“…Note that the upper 50 m of SW carbonate chemistry data are calculated using MLRs provided by Wanninkhof et al. (2020). The overall decline in SW pH of the northern Caribbean Sea (−0.0030 ± 0.0003 yr −1 ) is higher than that of SW in the Florida Straits (−0.0026 ± 0.0002 yr −1 ).…”

“…The average mixed layer depth from 2002 to 2018 for the Florida Straits at 27°N was 41.4 m based on the data products provided by Wanninkhof et al. (2020). In this study, we used a cutoff depth of 50 m for the surface mixed layer and applied the calculations of surface mixed layer DIC to 10, 20, 30, and 40 m of the water column.…”

“…Finally, we compare the long-term pH change in SW of the Florida Straits with those in the greater northern Caribbean Sea SW from 2002 to 2018 using the time series data product contributed by Wanninkhof et al (2020). Note that the upper 50 m of SW carbonate chemistry data are calculated using MLRs provided by Wanninkhof et al (2020).…”

“…Surface mixed layer (depth <50 m) DIC for the Florida Straits at 27°N was calculated from CO2SYS (Van Heuven et al, 2009) using derived the fugacity of carbon dioxide (fCO 2 ) and TA data provided in the monthly averaged mapped product by Wanninkhof et al (2020) at 1° × 1° spatial resolution from 2002 to 2018. The average mixed layer depth from 2002 to 2018 for the Florida Straits at 27°N was 41.4 m based on the data products provided by Wanninkhof et al (2020). In this study, we used a cutoff depth of 50 m for the surface mixed layer and applied the calculations of surface mixed layer DIC to 10, 20, 30, and 40 m of the water column.…”

Estimating the carbon content of oceans using satellite sensor data

“…The Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division (OCED) of The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) focuses on understanding the ocean's role within the context of the global environment. Automated systems for pCO 2 measurement were installed on cruise ships of Royal Caribbean International Cruises and subsidiaries Wanninkhof et al [60] by the NOAA. This system provides measurements of multiple ocean water parameters beginning in 2002 and continuing to the present.…”