Project Title

U.S. Department of Commerce NOAA Global Monitoring Division (GMD)

Summary

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

Program Manager:
Dr. David Sutherland

ASC POC/Implementer:
John Rand / Paul Sullivan / Sheryl Seagraves

Principal Investigator(s)

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

Location

Supporting Stations: McMurdo Station, South Pole Station
Research Locations: Near field, 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, the interplay of trace-gas 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

DEPLOYING At South Pole, this project operates a variety of instruments located in the Atmospheric Research Observatory (ARO) and mounted on an adjacent tower, in addition to launching weather balloons daily. The equipment runs continuously year-round, and is operated and maintained by deployed NOAA personnel. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic impacts, only two grantees will deploy for the 2020-21 summer and winter seasons and one member of the winter 2020 team will remain into the summer to conduct training. Access to the tower has been restricted due to a lean it has developed.

Deploying Team Members