ARMORIQUE FerryBox: Surface Carbon and Alkalinity in the English Channel

From March 18 to October 9, 2014, the vessel ARMORIQUE collected surface underway measurements of key ocean carbon parameters. The dataset includes dissolved inorganic carbon, the partial pressure of carbon dioxide, total alkalinity, and salinity from the western English Channel. Data were gathered using a Carbon dioxide gas analyzer as part of the Coastal_FerryBox_Roscoff_Plymouth_35AQ20140318 project.

Use Cases

• Calculating ocean acidification parameters like aragonite saturation state based on DIC and alkalinity measurements.
• Analyzing seasonal variability of surface water pCO2 in a temperate coastal sea.
• Validating regional biogeochemical models using in-situ carbon system observations.
• Investigating air-sea CO2 flux dynamics in the western English Channel.

Strengths

• Provides a continuous, nearly 7-month time series of synchronized carbon system parameters.
• Data is hosted on multiple authoritative platforms (Data.gov, NASA Earthdata), indicating curation and importance.
• Includes four directly measured variables critical for full carbonate system characterization.

Limitations

• Column names and precise data structure are not provided in any source, hindering immediate analysis.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates (2014-10-09 vs. 2026-03-05) create uncertainty about metadata maintenance.
• No information on data resolution (temporal or spatial), quality flags, or associated uncertainty estimates.

Provenance

Source

Roscoff Biological Station, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Collection Method

Surface underway observations collected from the ferry ARMORIQUE using a Carbon dioxide (CO2) gas analyzer and other instruments.

Time Range

2014-03-18 to 2014-10-09

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:08:41.639290

Geography

English Channel, specifically the western English Channel based on tags.