Report of the SNOMS Project 2006 to 2012, SNOMS SWIRE NOCS Ocean Monitoring System. Part 1: Narrative description

The ocean plays a major role in controlling the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Increasing concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are a threat to the stability of the earth’s climate. A better understanding of the controlling role of the ocean will improve predictions of likely future changes in climate and the impact of the uptake of CO2 itself on marine eco-systems caused by the associated acidification of the ocean waters. The SNOMS Project (SWIRE NOCS Ocean Monitoring System) is a ground breaking joint research project supported by the Swire Group Trust, the Swire Educational Trust, the China Navigation Company (CNCo) and the Natural Environment Research Council. It collects high quality data on concentrations of CO2 in the surface layer of the ocean. It contributes to the international effort to better quantify (and understand the driving processes controlling) the exchanges of CO2 between the ocean and the atmosphere. In 2006 and 2007 a system that could be used on a commercial ship to provide data over periods of several months with only limited maintenance by the ships crew was designed and assembled by NOCS. The system was fitted to the CNCo ship the MV Pacific Celebes in May 2007. The onboard system was supported by web pages that monitored the progress of the ship and the functioning of the data collection system. To support the flow of data from the ship to the archiving of the data at the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC in the USA) data processing procedures were developed for the quality control and systematic handling of the data. Data from samples of seawater collected by the ships crew and analysed in NOC (730 samples) have been used to confirm the consistency of the data from the automated measurement system on the ship. To examine the data collected between 2007 and 2012 the movements of the ship are divided into 16 voyages. Initially The Celebes traded on a route circum-navigating the globe via the Panama and Suez Canals. In 2009 the route shifted to one between Australia and New Zealand to USA and Canada. Analysis of the data is an on going process. It has demonstrated that the system produces reliable data. Data are capable of improving existing estimates of seasonal variability. The work has improved knowledge of gas exchange processes. Data from the crew-collected-samples are helping improve our ability to estimate alkalinity in different areas. This helps with the study of ocean acidification. Data from the 9 round trips in the Pacific are currently being examined along with data made available by the NOAA-PMEL laboratory forming time series from 2004 to 2012. The data from the Pacific route are of considerable interest. One reason is that the data monitors variations in the fluxes of CO2 associated with the current that flows westwards along the equator. This is one of the major natural sources of CO2 from the ocean into the atmosphere

5 years of plankton monitoring in Southampton Water and the Solent including FerryBox, Dock Monitor and discrete sample data

The Environment Agency (EA) has to make a eutrophication status assessment of the Solent and its harbours every four years. This requires a review of the frequency and magnitude of phytoplankton blooms. To assist with this process SOC has prepared this report to provide a "meta-data base" describing the relevant data sets collected by SOC between 1999 and 2003. It provides details of :- (1) methods used to collect the data (2) errors associated with the methods (3) calibration and quality control procedures used (4) changes in procedures (5) references to technical reports and theses containing detailed descriptions of the methods used. Changes in concentrations of chlorophyll in relation to concentrations of nutrients at SOC study sites in Southampton Water are plotted in graphs. The occurrence of bloom events and processes of bloom limitation are described. In particular observations of the variation of chlorophyll concentrations made using the FerryBox route between Town Quay Southampton and Cowes Isle of Wight are described and the development of the systems and associated problems are detailed. The information is presented as (i) graphs of the whole data set at all locations against time for each year (ii) 3D maps of the variation in concentrations with location and time (iii) time series for single locations along the FerryBox track

Seasonality and spatial heterogeneity of the surface ocean carbonate system in the northwest European continental shelf

In 2014–5 the UK NERC sponsored an 18 month long Shelf Sea Biogeochemistry research programme which collected over 1500 nutrient and carbonate system samples across the NW European Continental shelf, one of the largest continental shelves on the planet. This involved the cooperation of 10 different Institutes and Universities, using 6 different vessels. Additional carbon dioxide (CO2) data were obtained from the underway systems on three of the research vessels. Here, we present and discuss these data across 9 ecohydrodynamic regions, adapted from those used by the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). We observed strong seasonal and regional variability in carbonate chemistry around the shelf in relation to nutrient biogeochemistry. Whilst salinity increased (and alkalinity decreased) out from the near-shore coastal waters offshore throughout the year nutrient concentrations varied with season. Spatial and seasonal variations in the ratio of DIC to nitrate concentration were seen that could impact carbon cycling. A decrease in nutrient concentrations and a pronounced under-saturation of surface pCO2 was evident in the spring in most regions, especially in the Celtic Sea. This decrease was less pronounced in Liverpool Bay and to the North of Scotland, where nutrient concentrations remained measurable throughout the year. The near-shore and relatively shallow ecosystems such as the eastern English Channel and southern North Sea were associated with a thermally driven increase in pCO2 to above atmospheric levels in summer and an associated decrease in pH. Non-thermal processes (such as mixing and the remineralisation of organic material) dominated in winter in most regions but especially in the northwest of Scotland and in Liverpool Bay. The large database collected will improve understanding of carbonate chemistry over the North-Western European Shelf in relation to nutrient biogeochemistry, particularly in the context of climate change and ocean acidification

DEFRApH - Sample collection and handling procedures

All chemical and biogeochemical process in the sea are affected by the acidity of the water. Acidity is therefore fundamental property of seawater. The growing concern that the acidity of the oceans might be increasing has revealed weaknesses in our knowledge of this fundamental property and its variation in space and time. In 2008 the DEFRApH project (DEFRA contract ME4133) was initiated to provide this missing information in UK related waters. It required sampling for and analysis of the total inorganic carbon and total alkalinity content of samples. This reports documents the procedures sued for sampling. A companion document Hartman Dumousseaud and Roberts (NOC Internal Document No. 01) describes in detail the analytical procedures used and the calculation of the results

SNOMS Swire NOCS Ocean Monitoring System: diary of the system development and installation on the MV Pacific Celebes in 2006 and 2007

The SNOMS project brings together the resources of the United Kingdom’s National Oceanographic Centre, Southampton (one of the world’s leading centres for marine research) and The Swire Group (a major multinational corporation) to make a significant contribution towards improving our understanding of the role of the oceans in controlling concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and hence the worlds climate.The Swire Group Charitable Trust funded the design, assembly and installation of a scientific data collection system on their ship the MV Pacific Celebes. The system is now providing data from areas where no or little data exists particularly in the Indian Ocean, Red Sea and Mediterranean. It links with and connects on-going observations in the Atlantic. Data from the system supports projects both at NOC and elsewhere including the IOCPP (International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project).This report provides an illustrated diary of the progress of the project between signing of the contract between the Swire Group and NOC in March 2006 and the installation of the working system on the MV Pacific Celebes in June 2007. A new type of system for monitoring the partial pressure of CO2 at the sea surface had to be developed which could run autonomously of NOC with only periodic servicing by the ship’s crew. This was done by designing a simple tank system to contain temperature, conductivity and dissolved oxygen sensors built by Aanderaa and the new CO2 device the “ProCO2” developed by ProOceanus in Canada. This would be used with the ProOceanus total gas Pressure device the GTD.The system was assembled and tested at NOC before its first sea trial on the P&O ferry MV Pride of Bilbao in November 2006. Modifications were made after this trial. A longer trial was carried out on the Pride of Bilbao from February to April 2007. The system was shipped to Singapore in May 2007, and installation was completed in Jakarta on 4 June 2007

Report on the SNOMS Swire NOCS Ocean Monitoring System. System description and inventory for the MV Pacific Celebes system fitted June 2007

The SNOMS project brings together the resources of the United Kingdom’s National Oceanographic Centre, Southampton (one of the world’s leading centres for marine research) and The Swire Group (a major multinational corporation) to make a significant contribution towards improving our understanding of the role of the oceans in controlling concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and hence the worlds climate. The Swire Group Charitable Trust funded the design, assembly and installation of a scientific data collection system on their ship the MV Pacific Celebes. The system is now providing data from areas where no or little data exists particularly in the Indian Ocean, Red Sea and Mediterranean. It links with and connects on-going observations in the Atlantic. Data from the system supports projects both at NOC and elsewhere including the IOCPP (International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project). In Singapore and Jakarta, in June 2007, NOC installed the first system on the Swire ship the MV Pacific Celebes. This report details the modifications made to the ship prior to installation, the installation on the ships and lists all the equipment sent to the ship. A diary of the installation process is available as NOC Internal Document No. 10*. The 4 main scientific instrument packages and control units aboard the Pacific Celebes are :-1. In the (engine room) machinery space a stainless steel tank connected to the ships pumped seawater supply containing measuring devices for dissolved carbon dioxide and oxygen, total dissolved gas pressure, temperature and conductivity.2. In the machinery space an electronics cabinet containing the main data logging, control computer and DC power supplies. This is connected to the instruments in the tank, a temperature sensor mounted on the hull and equipment on the Monkey Island.3. On the Monkey Island a Stevenson screen box containing sensors measuring humidity, air temperature and atmospheric carbon dioxide content.4. On the Monkey Island an electronics cabinet containing an Iridium satellite communications modem, two GPS receivers and a data logger.*Hydes, D J, (2007) SNOMS Diary of the fitting out of the MV Pacific Celebes, June 2007.National Oceanography Centre Southampton Internal Document No.10

Pride of Bilbao FerryBox 2005 - an overview of the data obtained and improvements in procedures

The collection of high quality, long term data from diverse environments is required if the interplay of the complex factors affecting phytoplankton bloom development is to be investigated. With this in mind the English Channel and Bay of Biscay between Portsmouth and Bilbao has been intensively monitored starting in 2002. In 2005 the ‘FerryBox’ suite of sensors measured temperature, salinity, fluorescence, oxygen and turbidity. The data are merged with position and can be viewed in real time at http://www.noc.soton.ac.uk/ops. The ferry travels between Portsmouth and Bilbao completing a round trip every 3 days; measurements in water pumped in from 5 metres depth provide data which are collected every second. In 2005 the ‘FerryBox’ methods were improved to reduce the affects of bio fouling on the sensors; the sensors were systematically cleaned weekly and sensor calibrations madefrom samples collected during monthly ferry crossings. These showed that the fluorescence and oxygen sensors were stable and a high quality dataset was produced. Calibration of the fluorescence sensor was monitored using extracted chlorophyll suspended in solid Perspex blocks. The ‘FerryBox’ dataset has been mapped against time and latitude to show the occurrence of phytoplankton blooms, using fluorescence, along with calculations of oxygen anomaly. Such continuous monitoring allows us to pinpoint the timings of phytoplankton bloom initiation and duration. The detailed data from the FerryBox allows the occurrence of these blooms to be correlated with other changes in the oceanic system, such as tidal energy, light and fresh water run off.The methods used to process the data from the initial raw 1Hz ASCII files through to the quality controlled 5 minute set are documented together with the post processing resolution of system faults that caused errors in the measured salinity. The quality controlled data are archived as 5 minuteaverages and are held by the British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC)

5 years of plankton monitoring in Southampton Water and the Solent including FerryBox, Dock Monitor and discrete sample data

The Environment Agency (EA) has to make a eutrophication status assessment of the Solent and its harbours every four years. This requires a review of the frequency and magnitude of phytoplankton blooms. To assist with this process SOC has prepared this report to provide a "meta-data base" describing the relevant data sets collected by SOC between 1999 and 2003. It provides details of :- (1) methods used to collect the data (2) errors associated with the methods (3) calibration and quality control procedures used (4) changes in procedures (5) references to technical reports and theses containing detailed descriptions of the methods used. Changes in concentrations of chlorophyll in relation to concentrations of nutrients at SOC study sites in Southampton Water are plotted in graphs. The occurrence of bloom events and processes of bloom limitation are described. In particular observations of the variation of chlorophyll concentrations made using the FerryBox route between Town Quay Southampton and Cowes Isle of Wight are described and the development of the systems and associated problems are detailed. The information is presented as (i) graphs of the whole data set at all locations against time for each year (ii) 3D maps of the variation in concentrations with location and time (iii) time series for single locations along the FerryBox track

A report on the Red Funnel FerryBox 2004 - an overview of the data obtained, improvements and calibration procedures

This report aims to provide a complete record of the work done as part of the ‘FerryBox’ activities on the Red Funnel Ltd ‘Red Falcon’ ferry in Southampton Water and the Solent in 2004. The procedures, hardware and software used are described and listed in detail. The results are summarised. Details are provided of the content and location of all of the data files produced, both observational data and data collected to calibrate the instruments. The collection of high quality, long term data in as many environments as possible is required to investigate the interplay of different factors affecting phytoplankton bloom development. With this in mind the Southampton Water and Solent estuarine system has been intensively monitored over the last 6 years using the FerryBox system. The ferry travels the length of the estuary up to 16 times a day. The ‘FerryBox’ suite of sensors measurestemperature, salinity, fluorescence and turbidity. These data are collected with at a frequency of 1Hz and are merged with position data, collected using a GPS system.In 2004 the FerryBox methods were improved to reduce the affects of bio fouling on the sensors. The sensors were systematically cleaned and the sensors calibrated during weekly ferry crossings. Calibrations of the turbidity and fluorescence sensors were monitored using materials suspended in solid Perspex blocks. The sensors were found to be stable and a high quality dataset was produced. Variations were seen in the ratio of fluorescence to chlorophyll throughout the estuary and with the time of year. Using the ‘FerryBox’ dataset the occurrence of phytoplankton blooms has been related to environmental factors such as light and to the tides. Such continuous monitoring allows us to pinpoint the timings of phytoplankton bloom initiation and duration. In 2004 a series of regular peaks influorescence occurred throughout the summer months. The detailed data from the FerryBox allows the occurrence of these blooms to be correlated with changes in the tidal energy of the system, light and fresh water run off