Surface Ocean Carbon Measurements from Caribbean Cruise Lines in 2019

Surface underway measurements of carbon dioxide and related variables were collected during M/V Celebrity Equinox cruises. The dataset includes mole fractions, fugacity, temperature, salinity, and barometric pressure readings. Data were gathered by NOAA_NCEI from voyages in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Atlantic Ocean between January 2019 and January 2020.

Use Cases

• Calculate sea water fCO2 minus interpolated air fCO2 to estimate local CO2 flux into or out of the ocean.
• Analyze the relationship between sea surface temperature and fugacity of CO2 in sea water to study temperature-dependent solubility.
• Correlate sea surface salinity with fugacity of CO2 in sea water to investigate salinity effects on carbon chemistry.
• Compare mole fraction of CO2 in dry outside air with interpolated xCO2_ATM analyses to assess atmospheric CO2 variability over ocean routes.
• Map the geographic distribution of sea water fCO2 across the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico using geospatial cruise track data.

Strengths

• Data collection spans a full year from 2019-01-05 to 2020-01-04, providing seasonal coverage.
• Measurements cover multiple key variables for carbon cycle analysis, including fugacity, mole fraction, temperature, and salinity.
• Geographic coverage includes three distinct ocean regions: the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Atlantic Ocean.

Limitations

• The exact number of measurement rows or sampling frequency is unknown, limiting statistical analysis.
• Data is from a single vessel track, which may not represent broader regional conditions.
• Specific measurement accuracy, calibration details, and data quality flags are not provided in the description.

Provenance

Source

NOAA_NCEI (National Centers for Environmental Information).

Collection Method

Surface underway measurements performed during Ships of Opportunity (SOOP) M/V Celebrity Equinox cruises.

Time Range

2019-01-05 to 2020-01-04.

Freshness

Data collection ended in January 2020, representing conditions from that period.

Geography

Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Atlantic Ocean.