Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas Database Version 6 (SOCATv6) (NCEI Accession 0173715)
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This dataset consists of the Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT) data product files. SOCAT is a synthesis activity by the international marine carbon research community and has more than 100 contributors worldwide. SOCAT provides access to synthesis and gridded, quality controlled, observational products of surface ocean fCO2 (fugacity of carbon dioxide) for the global oceans and coastal seas. SOCAT version 6 has 23.4 million, in situ, surface ocean fCO2 measurements with an accuracy of better than 5 μatm and a WOCE flag of 2 (good) from 1957 to 2017. Calibrated sensor data with an accuracy of better than 10 μatm are also available. During quality control, marine scientists assign a flag to each data set, as well as WOCE flags of 2 (good), 3 (questionable) or 4 (bad) to individual fCO2 values. Data sets are assigned flags of A and B for an accuracy of better than 2 μatm, flags of C and D for an accuracy of better than 5 μatm and a flag of E for an accuracy of better than 10 μatm. Bakker et al. (2016) describe the quality control criteria used in SOCAT versions 3 to 6. Quality control comments for individual data sets can be accessed via the SOCAT Data Set Viewer (www.socat.info). All data sets, where data quality has been deemed acceptable, have been made public. The main SOCAT synthesis files and the gridded products contain all data sets with flags of A to D and fCO2 values with a flag of 2. Access to data sets with a flag of E and fCO2 values with flags of 3 and 4 is via additional data products and the Data Set Viewer (Table 8 in Bakker et al., 2016). SOCAT publishes a global gridded product with a 1° longitude by 1° latitude resolution. A second product with a higher resolution of 0.25° longitude by 0.25° latitude is available for the coastal seas. Gridded products are available monthly, per year and per decade. Two powerful, interactive, online viewers, the Data Set Viewer and the Gridded Data Viewer (www.socat.info), enable investigation of the SOCAT synthesis and gridded data products. SOCAT data products can be downloaded. Matlab code is available for reading these files. Ocean Data View also provides access to the SOCAT data products (www.socat.info). SOCAT data products are discoverable, accessible and citable. SOCAT versions 3 to 6 should be cited as Bakker et al., 2016 (until a publication on versions 4, 5 and 6 is published). The SOCAT Fair Data Use Statement (www.socat.info) asks users to generously acknowledge the contribution of SOCAT scientists by invitation to co-authorship, especially for data providers in regional studies, and/or reference to relevant scientific articles. The SOCAT website (www.socat.info) provides a single access point for online viewers, downloadable data sets, the Fair Data Use Statement, a list of contributors and an overview of scientific publications on and using SOCAT. Automation of data upload and initial data checks allows annual releases of SOCAT from version 4 onward. SOCAT enables quantification of the ocean carbon sink and ocean acidification and evaluation of ocean biogeochemical models. More than 210 peer-reviewed scientific publications and high-impact reports cite SOCAT. SOCAT represents a milestone in research coordination, data access, biogeochemical and climate research and in informing policy. Show more...
Dataset Citation
Cite as: Bakker, Dorothee C. E.; Lauvset, Siv K.; Wanninkhof, Rik; Castaño-Primo, Rocío; Currie, Kim I.; Jones, Steve D.; Landa, Camilla S.; Metzl, Nicolas; Nakaoka, Shin-ichiro; Nojiri, Yukihiro; Nonaka, Isao; O'Brien, Kevin M.; Olsen, Are; Pfeil, Benjamin; Pierrot, Denis; Schuster, Ute; Smith, Karl; Sullivan, Kevin F.; Sutton, Adrienne J.; Tilbrook, Bronte; Alin, Simone R.; Becker, Meike; Benoit-Cattin, Alice; Bott, Randy; Bozec, Yann; Bozzano, Roberto; Burger, Eugene F.; Burgers, Tonya M.; Cai, Wei-Jun; Chen, Liqi; Chierici, Melissa; Corredor, Jorge E.; Cosca, Catherine E.; Cross, Jessica N.; Dandonneau, Yves; De Carlo, Eric H.; Dietrich, Colin; Else, Brent; Emerson, Steven R.; Farías, Laura; Fransson, Agneta; Garreaud, René D.; Gkritzalis, Thanos; Glockzin, Michael; González-Dávila, Melchor; Gregor, Luke; Hartman, Susan E.; Hermes, Rudolf; Hoppema, Mario; Howden, Stephan D.; Hunt, Christopher W.; Hydes, David; Ibánhez, J. Severino P.; Kitidis, Vassilis; Körtzinger, Arne; Kozyr, Alex; Kuwata, Akira; Lampitt, Richard; Lefèvre, Nathalie; Lo Monaco, Claire; Maenner Jones, Stacy; Manke, Ansley B.; Manzello, Derek P.; McGillis, Wade R.; Mickett, John; Monteiro, Pedro M. S.; Morell, Julio M.; Morrison, J. Ruairidh; Omar, Abdirahman M.; Mucci, Alfonso; Munro, David R.; Musielewicz, Sylvia; Negri, Rubén M.; Newberger, Tim; Newton, Jan; Noakes, Scott; O'Brien, Chris; Ólafsdóttir, Sólveig Rósa; Ólafsson, Jón; Ono, Tsuneo; Osborne, John; Ouyang, Zhangxian; Padín, Xose A.; Papakyriakou, Tim; Plueddemann, Albert J.; Rehder, Gregor; Sabine, Christopher L.; Sakurai, Keizo; Salisbury, Joseph E.; Santana-Casiano, J. Magdalena; Schlitzer, Reiner; Schneider, Bernd; Send, Uwe; Skjelvan, Ingunn; Steinhoff, Tobias; Sulpis, Olivier; Sutherland, Stewart C.; Sweeney, Colm; Tadokoro, Kazuaki; Takahashi, Taro; Telszewski, Maciej; Thomas, Helmuth; Tomlinson, Michael; Trull, Tom; Valdimarsson, Héðinn; van Heuven, Steven M. A. C.; Vandemark, Douglas; Wada, Chisato; Wallace, Douglas W. R.; Watson, Andrew J.; Weller, Robert A.; Xu, Suqing (2018). Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas Database Version 6 (SOCATv6) (NCEI Accession 0173715). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.7289/v51z42r8. Accessed [date].
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Distribution Formats
Originator data format
Ordering Instructions
Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions.
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (2022). Ocean Carbon and Acidification Data System (OCADS). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/ocean-carbon-acidification-data-system
Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status
Complete - production of the data has been completed Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency
As needed - NCEI Accession 0173715 was revised and a new version of the archival package was published. Updates to existing archival packages may provide additional files or replace obsolete files. The latest version contains the most complete and up-to-date representation of this archival information package. All of the files received prior to this update are available in the preceding version of this accession. Please see journal.txt in the /about directory for additional details on changes made.
Supplemental Information
In this accession, NCEI has archived multiple versions of these data. The latest (and best) version of these data has the largest version number.
Purpose
To provide the synthesis and gridded, quality controlled, observational products of surface ocean fCO2 (fugacity of carbon dioxide) for the global oceans and coastal seas
Use Limitations
accessLevel: Public
Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
Dataset Citation
Cite as: Bakker, Dorothee C. E.; Lauvset, Siv K.; Wanninkhof, Rik; Castaño-Primo, Rocío; Currie, Kim I.; Jones, Steve D.; Landa, Camilla S.; Metzl, Nicolas; Nakaoka, Shin-ichiro; Nojiri, Yukihiro; Nonaka, Isao; O'Brien, Kevin M.; Olsen, Are; Pfeil, Benjamin; Pierrot, Denis; Schuster, Ute; Smith, Karl; Sullivan, Kevin F.; Sutton, Adrienne J.; Tilbrook, Bronte; Alin, Simone R.; Becker, Meike; Benoit-Cattin, Alice; Bott, Randy; Bozec, Yann; Bozzano, Roberto; Burger, Eugene F.; Burgers, Tonya M.; Cai, Wei-Jun; Chen, Liqi; Chierici, Melissa; Corredor, Jorge E.; Cosca, Catherine E.; Cross, Jessica N.; Dandonneau, Yves; De Carlo, Eric H.; Dietrich, Colin; Else, Brent; Emerson, Steven R.; Farías, Laura; Fransson, Agneta; Garreaud, René D.; Gkritzalis, Thanos; Glockzin, Michael; González-Dávila, Melchor; Gregor, Luke; Hartman, Susan E.; Hermes, Rudolf; Hoppema, Mario; Howden, Stephan D.; Hunt, Christopher W.; Hydes, David; Ibánhez, J. Severino P.; Kitidis, Vassilis; Körtzinger, Arne; Kozyr, Alex; Kuwata, Akira; Lampitt, Richard; Lefèvre, Nathalie; Lo Monaco, Claire; Maenner Jones, Stacy; Manke, Ansley B.; Manzello, Derek P.; McGillis, Wade R.; Mickett, John; Monteiro, Pedro M. S.; Morell, Julio M.; Morrison, J. Ruairidh; Omar, Abdirahman M.; Mucci, Alfonso; Munro, David R.; Musielewicz, Sylvia; Negri, Rubén M.; Newberger, Tim; Newton, Jan; Noakes, Scott; O'Brien, Chris; Ólafsdóttir, Sólveig Rósa; Ólafsson, Jón; Ono, Tsuneo; Osborne, John; Ouyang, Zhangxian; Padín, Xose A.; Papakyriakou, Tim; Plueddemann, Albert J.; Rehder, Gregor; Sabine, Christopher L.; Sakurai, Keizo; Salisbury, Joseph E.; Santana-Casiano, J. Magdalena; Schlitzer, Reiner; Schneider, Bernd; Send, Uwe; Skjelvan, Ingunn; Steinhoff, Tobias; Sulpis, Olivier; Sutherland, Stewart C.; Sweeney, Colm; Tadokoro, Kazuaki; Takahashi, Taro; Telszewski, Maciej; Thomas, Helmuth; Tomlinson, Michael; Trull, Tom; Valdimarsson, Héðinn; van Heuven, Steven M. A. C.; Vandemark, Douglas; Wada, Chisato; Wallace, Douglas W. R.; Watson, Andrew J.; Weller, Robert A.; Xu, Suqing (2018). Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas Database Version 6 (SOCATv6) (NCEI Accession 0173715). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.7289/v51z42r8. Accessed [date].
Santana-Casiano, J. Magdalena University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Marine Science, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Schlitzer, Reiner Alfred-Wegener-Institute Helmholtz-Centre for Polar- and Marine Research, P. O. Box 120161, 27515 Bremerhaven, Germany
Schneider, Bernd Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Wärnemunde
Xu, Suqing Key Laboratory of Global Change and Marine-Atmospheric Chemistry, Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Xiamen, 361005, China
Susan E. Hartman Ocean Biogeochemistry and Ecosystems, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, SO14 3ZH
Suqing Xu Key Laboratory of Global Change and Marine-Atmospheric Chemistry, Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Xiamen, 361005, China
Juan Severino Pino Ibánhez IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Lago Sul, 71640-230 Brasilia, Brazil
J. Ruairidh Morrison Ocean Process Analysis Laboratory, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
Juana Magdalena Santana Casiano University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Marine Science, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Funding Information: Ocean Observing and Monitoring Division of NOAA's Climate Program Office, EU, NSF, Japan Climate Research Programs (Surface Water pCO2 measurements from ships; High-Resolution Ocean and Atmosphere pCO2 Time-Series Measurements)
Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
Fees
In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
2018-06-13T23:39:27Z - NCEI Accession 0173715 v1.1 was published.
2018-07-27T18:40:01Z - NCEI Accession 0173715 was revised and v2.2 was published. Rationale: Updates were received for this dataset. These updates were copied into the data/0-data/ directory of this accession. These updates may provide additional files or replace obsolete files. This version contains the most complete and up-to-date representation of this archival information package. All of the files received prior to this update are available in the preceding version of this accession.
2025-06-24T15:27:43Z - NCEI Accession 0173715 was revised and v2.3 was published. Rationale: Additional metadata files were received or created for this dataset. These updates were copied into the about/ directory of this accession. These updates may provide additional files or replace obsolete files. This version contains the most complete and up-to-date representation of this archival information package. All of the files received prior to this update are available in the preceding version of this accession.
Parameter or Variable: pCO2 (fCO2) autonomous; Abbreviation: fCO2; Unit: uatm; Observation type: Surface underway; Measured or calculated: fCO2 recomputed from the raw data; Equilibrator type:; Equilibrator volume:; How was pressure inside the equilibrator measured:; SEA CO2 gas detector resolution: Accuracy: better than 5 uatm; Quality flag convention: WOCE quality control flags are used: 2 = good value, 3 = questionable value, 4 = bad value; Researcher name: SOCAT Team
Parameter or Variable: Sea Surface Salinity; Abbreviation: SSS; Observation type: measured, data synthesis; Researcher name: SOCAT team
Parameter or Variable: Sea Surface Temperature; Abbreviation: SST; Unit: Deg. C; Observation type: measured, data synthesis; Researcher name: SOCAT Team
Parameter or Variable: Atmospheric Pressure; Abbreviation: ATM_PPRE; Unit: DBAR; Observation type: measured, data synthesis; Researcher name: SOCAT Team
Parameter or Variable: Pressure at Equilibrator; Abbreviation: EQ_PRE; Unit: DBAR; Observation type: measured, data synthesis; Researcher name: SOCAT Team
Parameter or Variable: Water Temperature at Equilibrator; Abbreviation: EQ_TMP; Unit: Deg. C; Observation type: measured, data synthesis; Researcher name: SOCAT Team
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
carbon dioxide (CO2) gas analyzer
showerhead equilibrator
Platform
MULTIPLE SHIPS OF GERMANY
Last Modified: 2025-06-30T12:46:36Z
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