IOCCP-Activities: Surface Ocean Biogeochemistry Observations

We are excited to share with you an important document describing the first operational steps to implement the reference-quality measurements of the Surface Ocean CO₂ Observing Network (SOCONET-Tier 1). SOCONET-Tier 1 is the observational cornerstone for surface ocean fCO₂w observations to quantify sea-air CO₂ fluxes with sustained delivery of reference quality datasets in support of efforts such as the Global Carbon Budget, Global Greenhouse Gas Watch and other assessments and activities.

We are excited to share with you an important document describing the first operational steps to implement the reference-quality measurements of the Surface Ocean CO₂ Observing Network (SOCONET-Tier 1). SOCONET-Tier 1 is the observational cornerstone for surface ocean fCO₂w observations to quantify sea-air CO₂ fluxes with sustained delivery of reference quality datasets in support of efforts such as the Global Carbon Budget, Global Greenhouse Gas Watch and other assessments and activities.

We are excited to announce that the Oostende Declaration in which the 100+ ocean experts and stakeholders call for concerted international and intergovernmental efforts to create a robust, resilient and sustainable surface ocean carbon observing system has been officially recognized as a commitment at the UN Ocean Conference 2025.

We are excited to let you know that the Surface Ocean CO₂ Observing Network (SOCONET) alongside the Fishing Vessel Observing Network (FVON) and Science Monitoring And Reliable Telecommunications (SMART) Subsea Cables became a Global Ocean Observing System emerging network. Find out more on these 3 new additions from an article published on the GOOS website.

We are excited to let you know that the Surface Ocean CO₂ Observing Network (SOCONET) alongside the Fishing Vessel Observing Network (FVON) and Science Monitoring And Reliable Telecommunications (SMART) Subsea Cables became a Global Ocean Observing System emerging network. Find out more on these 3 new additions from an article published on the GOOS website.

We would like to share with you the Oostende Declaration in which the 100+ ocean experts and stakeholders call for concerted international and intergovernmental efforts to create a robust, resilient and sustainable surface ocean carbon observing system.

The text of the declaration is available here: Declaration on Operationalising the Surface Ocean Carbon Value Chain

IOCCP is contributing to the vision for surface CO₂ observations in the next decade. You can read about the challenges and recommendations for the SOCONET network and the wider community in an OceanObs'19 Community White Paper led by Rik Wanninkhof, published in July 2019 in Frontiers in Marine Science. To access and download the article, follow the link: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2019.00400/full

IOCCP is contributing to the vision for surface CO₂ observations in the next decade. You can read about the challenges and recommendations for the SOCONET network and the wider community in an OceanObs'19 Community White Paper led by Rik Wanninkhof, published in July 2019 in Frontiers in Marine Science. To access and download the article, follow the link: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2019.00400/full

As another attempt to achieve uniformity in nomenclature amongst various ship-based observing efforts globally, attached please find a memo from the IOCCP Scientific Steering Group and the Joint Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM) Ship Observations Team (SOT) Executive Panel providing guidance on appropriate naming of our our scientific activities on ships. In particular the underway pCO₂ measurements.

We would like to inform you about the release of version 2019 of the Surface Ocean CO₂ Atlas (previously known as version 7). The Surface Ocean CO₂ Atlas (SOCAT) documents the increase in surface ocean CO₂, a critical measure as the oceans are taking up one quarter of the global CO₂ emissions from human activity. SOCAT version 2019 has 25.7 million quality-controlled surface ocean fCO₂ (fugacity of CO₂) observations from 1957 to 2019 for the global oceans and coastal seas. SOCAT is a community effort with more than 100 contributors worldwide.

On 11 February 2018, just prior to the Ocean Sciences Meeting in Portland, OR, USA, IOCCP and US NOAA held the kick-off meeting of the Surface Ocean CO2 Reference Observing Network (SOCONET). The meeting was attended by invited participants who represented the largest operators of surface water CO2 operations and/or activities relevant for network development. Establishment of the network responds to the need to provide the high-quality data to constrain global and regional air-sea CO2 fluxes on seasonal timescales, to determine trends and patterns in surface water CO2 levels, and to elucidate the factors influencing the patterns on daily to decadal time scales and to provide important element of an OA monitoring system.