The TAcalc minimum values in the SEC and NEC occur in March–April and in October–November, respectively, following the summer months of maximum precipitation (Bingham et al., 2010) and corresponding to the months of weakest transport (Philander et al., 1987) of higher TA waters from the east. The annual mean distribution

of calculated TCO2 (Fig. 5) is similar to that of TA, with a mean value of 1970 μmol kg− 1 check details for the region. Values of TCO2 above the annual mean are found in the SEC, in the South Sub-Tropical Counter Current (SSTCC), and in the north and south subtropical gyres. Values of TCO2 below the mean are found in the NSTCC, in the SECC, and in the NECC. The TCO2 seasonal amplitude in the SECC and NECC waters (< 30 μmol kg− 1) is less than in the subtropical gyres, SEC, and NEC (> 30 μmol kg− 1). Normalized values of calculated TCO2 from Fig. 5 (NTCO2 = TCO2 × 35 / SAL) give a mean value of 1965 ± 23 μmol kg− 1 (n = 3708),

similar to the mean for discrete measurements of 1962 ± 27 μmol kg− 1 (n = 908). The deviations from the mean NTCO2 are > 23 μmol kg− 1 compared to NTA of up to 6 μmol kg− 1 due to air–sea exchange, biological production, and upwelling having a greater influence on TCO2 than TA. For example, values of NTCO2 along the equator and east of 170°W are greater than the mean value of 1965 μmol kg− 1 due to the upwelling of waters in the central and eastern Pacific that are relatively enriched in TCO2. The controls on the TCO2 distributions are discussed in more detail below. Monthly TCO2 changes due to sea–air exchange (SA) are Niclosamide estimated selleck kinase inhibitor using the CO2 sea–air flux climatology (F) from Takahashi et al. (2010), the mixed layer depth climatology (MLD) from De Boyer Montégut et al. (2004), and the calculated seawater density ρ from in situ SST and SAL such that ΔNTCO2(SA) = F / (MLD × ρ). Negative ΔNTCO2(SA) values indicate net uptake of CO2 by surface waters. The median monthly change in NTCO2(SA) is − 0.2 μmol kg− 1 over the entire study area. In the equatorial band and east of the dateline, the annual mean change in NTCO2(SA) is + 2 ± 1 μmol kg− 1, meaning a source of CO2. In the

counter currents and in the western tropical Pacific Warm Pool, variability in NTCO2(SA) was small. In the southern subtropical waters, the variability in NTCO2(SA) is moderate as the annual mean is − 2 ± 1 μmol kg− 1. This means that the south subtropical waters are a sink over the entire year. The Northern Subtropical waters are a moderate source of CO2 in the boreal summer months with a negative NTCO2(SA). The calculated NTCO2(SA) for this region is − 2 ± 3 μmol kg− 1, in close agreement with Ishii et al. (2001). This indicates the region shifts from a sink in summer to a winter source. The results suggest that sea–air gas exchange may have a moderate effect on the annual change in NTCO2 in the equatorial band to the east of the Dateline, and in the North and South subtropical waters of our study area.