Project Title

South Pole monitoring for climatic change - U.S. Department of Commerce NOAA Global Monitoring Division (GMD)

Summary

Event Number:
O-257-M/S
NSF / NOAA Agreement

Program Manager:
Dr. Peter Milne

ASC POC/Implementer:
John Rand / Paul Sullivan

Principal Investigator(s)

Dr. James Hall Butler
james.h.butler@noaa.gov
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Global Monitoring Division (GMD)
Boulder, Colorado

Project Web Site:
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/

Location

Supporting Stations: McMurdo Station, South Pole Station
Research Locations: Atmospheric Research Observatory

Description

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Earth System Research Laboratory Global Monitoring Division (ESRL-GMD) will continue long-term measurements of ultra-violet (UV) radiation that influences climate and the ozone layer. The observations are made in conjunction with ongoing worldwide measurements of carbon dioxide, methane, carbon monoxide, aerosols, water vapor, surface and stratospheric ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, and the ozone layer. The measurements are used for time-series analysis of multi-year data focusing on stratospheric ozone depletion; trans-Antarctic transport and deposition; interplay of the trace-gases aerosols with the solar and terrestrial radiation fluxes on the polar plateau; the magnitude of seasonal and temporal variations in greenhouse gases; and the development of polar stratospheric clouds over Antarctica.

Field Season Overview

For South Pole, NOAA will maintain a year-round presence to assist in the sampling with air flasks, balloon launch of ozone-sondes, and maintenance of the other suite of instruments in and around the Atmospheric Research Observatory (ARO).

Deploying Team Members