Surface Underway Carbon Dioxide Measurements from R/V Ryofu Maru III

Shu Saito of the Japan Meteorological Agency collected these surface underway measurements aboard the R/V Ryofu Maru III from March 2014 to December 2015. The dataset includes partial pressure of carbon dioxide in both the atmosphere and seawater, alongside sea surface salinity, temperature, and barometric pressure. These high-frequency observations are part of the Shipboard Oceanographic Observation Program (SOOP) for monitoring ocean carbon uptake.

Use Cases

• Calculating air-sea CO2 flux based on partial pressure measurements.
• Monitoring ocean acidification trends using seawater pCO2 and salinity data.
• Validating satellite-derived sea surface temperature and salinity products.
• Assessing seasonal variability of carbon parameters in the Pacific Ocean.
• Calibrating and testing biogeochemical ocean models with in-situ underway data.

Strengths

• Data collected over a 21-month period, providing seasonal and inter-annual coverage.
• Includes both atmospheric and aquatic carbon dioxide partial pressures, enabling flux calculations.
• Uses standardized instruments like a CO2 gas analyzer and shower head equilibrator.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable across all sources.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates (2015-12-12 vs. 2026-03-05) create uncertainty about data currency.
• License information is not provided, restricting clarity on permissible use.

Provenance

Source

Shu Saito, Marine Division, Global Environment and Marine Department, Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)

Collection Method

Surface underway observations using carbon dioxide (CO2) gas analyzer and shower head chamber equilibrator.

Time Range

2014-03-07 to 2015-12-12

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:45:32.474110

Geography

Pacific Ocean and East China Sea