Velo, A., Perez, F.F., Lin, X., Key, R.M., Tanhua, Toste , de la Paz, M., van Heuven, S., Jutterström, S. and Rios, A.F. (2010) CARINA synthesis project: pH data scale unification and cruise adjustments. Earth System Science Data, 2 . pp. 133-155. DOI 10.5194/essd-2-133-2010.

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Abstract

Data on carbon and carbon-relevant hydrographic and hydrochemical parameters from 188 previously
non-publicly available cruise data sets in the Artic Mediterranean Seas (AMS), Atlantic Ocean and
Southern Ocean have been retrieved and merged to a new database: CARINA (CARbon IN the Atlantic Ocean).
These data have gone through rigorous quality control (QC) procedures to assure the highest possible quality
and consistency. The data for most of the measured parameters in the CARINA database were objectively
examined in order to quantify systematic differences in the reported values. Systematic biases found in the
data have been corrected in the data products, three merged data files with measured, calculated and interpolated
data for each of the three CARINA regions; AMS, Atlantic Ocean and Southern Ocean. Out of a total of
188 cruise entries in the CARINA database, 59 reported pH measured values. All reported pH data have been
unified to the Sea-Water Scale (SWS) at 25 C.
Here we present details of the secondary QC of pH in the CARINA database and the scale unification to SWS
at 25 C. The pH scale has been converted for 36 cruises. Procedures of quality control, including crossover
analysis between cruises and inversion analysis are described. Adjustments were applied to the pH values for
21 of the cruises in the CARINA dataset. With these adjustments the CARINA database is consistent both
internally as well as with the GLODAP data, an oceanographic data set based on the World Hydrographic
Program in the 1990s. Based on our analysis we estimate the internal consistency of the CARINA pH data
to be 0.005 pH units. The CARINA data are now suitable for accurate assessments of, for example, oceanic
carbon inventories and uptake rates, for ocean acidification assessment and for model validation.

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