MapCO2 buoy at fore reef of Enrique, La Parguera, PR

2014

Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System (CariCOOS)

"In January 2009 a moored autonomous pCO2 buoy (MapCO2) was deployed through a joint effort between the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL), the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), NOAA's Coral Health and Monitoring Program (CHAMP) and the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus (UPR-M). The autonomous capability provides every three hours measurements of the following parameters: 1) Mole fraction of CO2 in the near sea surface and air (xCO2); 2) Sea surface temperature (SST); 3) Sea surface salinity (SSS); 4) pH; and 5) Atmospheric pressure. These observations are validated and supplemented on a bi-weekly basis through the CariCOOS OA Monitoring Program (OAMP). Field cruises include CTD casts (temperature and salinity) and collection of water samples for pH and total alkalinity at the OA monitoring stations. This project addresses NOAAs National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) requirements for La Parguera as a Class III fixed climate change and OA monitoring station."

National Coral Reef Monitoring Plan (NCRMP); climatic monitoring

FY2014 CRCP Project ID 743; Project Title: National Coral Reef Monitoring Plan (NCRMP) Implementation (Climatic Monitoring); Principal Investigator: Jessica Morgan