| Domain | Oceanic | Description | The surface ocean partial pressure of carbon dioxide, pCO2, is a critical parameter of the oceanic inorganic carbon system (a) because it largely determines the magnitude and direction of the exchange of CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere, and (b) because it is a valuable indicator for changes in the upper ocean carbon cycle. It is an oceanic parameter that can be routinely measured autonomously with high accuracy and precision. The first measurements of pCO2 were initiated in the late 1950s, and the sampling network has grown substantially since then, with the vast majority of observations in recent years. [GCOS-195 5.3.8] |