High-resolution ocean and atmosphere pCO2 time-series measurements from Mooring Fagatele_170W_14S in the South Pacific Ocean (NCEI Accession 0313571)

This dataset includes chemical, meteorological, physical and time series data collected from Mooring Fagatele_170W_14S in the South Pacific Ocean from 2019-05-18 to 2023-05-13. These data include air-sea difference - partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), barometric pressure, oxygen, pCO2 - atmosphere, pCO2 - water, salinity, sea surface temperature, oxygen, pH on total scale, total chlorophyll, nephelometric turbidity unit and salinity-compensated dissolved oxygen. The instruments used to collect these data include Bubble type equilibrator for autonomous carbon dioxide (CO2) measurement, Carbon dioxide (CO2) gas analyzer, Humidity Sensor, oxygen meter and thermosalinographs. In May 2019, NOAA and partners established a new buoy in Fagatele Bay within National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa to monitor ocean acidification in a vibrant tropical coral reef ecosystem. The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, co-managed by NOAA and the American Samoa Government, is located in the cradle of Polynesia’s oldest culture and is thought to support the greatest diversity of marine life in the National Marine Sanctuary System, including a wide variety of coral and other invertebrates, marine plants, fishes, marine mammals, and turtles such as the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle. The sanctuary protects extensive coral reefs, including some of the oldest and largest Porites coral heads in the world, along with deep water reefs, hydrothermal vent communities, rare marine archaeological resources, and important fishing grounds. Despite its small size, Fagatele Bay supports exceptional biodiversity, with more than 160 species of coral found within a quarter-square-mile.