NCEI 0161868: Surface Ocean CO2 Measurements from M/V Equinox

NCEI Accession 0161868 contains surface underway measurements of carbon dioxide and related oceanographic variables. Data were collected aboard the SOOP M/V Equinox in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Atlantic Ocean from January 2, 2017, to January 6, 2018. The dataset includes mole fractions of CO2 in air and seawater, sea surface temperature, salinity, and calculated fugacity values.

Use Cases

• Calculating air-sea CO2 flux based on fugacity difference (ΔfCO2) measurements.
• Analyzing spatial and temporal variability of surface ocean pCO2 in the Atlantic basin.
• Validating satellite-derived sea surface temperature and salinity products with in-situ data.
• Studying the relationship between sea surface temperature and CO2 solubility in different ocean regions.

Strengths

• Provides a continuous, year-long time series of surface ocean CO2 measurements from 2017-01-02 to 2018-01-06.
• Includes derived, scientifically relevant variables like fugacity of CO2 in seawater and air, calculated from direct measurements.
• Hosted by authoritative organizations (NOAA, NASA) and appears on multiple platforms, indicating established provenance.

Limitations

• Critical metadata is missing or conflicting: row count, file size, and specific column names are unknown across all sources.
• Update dates conflict between platforms (2018-01-06 vs. 2026-03-05), creating uncertainty about data currency.
• Documentation gaps exist, as the license and detailed data collection methodology are not provided.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Surface underway observations using carbon dioxide gas analyzer and shower head equilibrator instruments aboard the SOOP M/V Equinox.

Time Range

2017-01-02 to 2018-01-06

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:48:37.940804

Geography

Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Atlantic Ocean