The South Pole Observatory was established at the geographic South Pole in 1957, as part of the International Geophysical Year. The South Pole Observatory (SPO) is one of four atmospheric baseline observatories in the world operated by the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory - Global Monitoring Division (GMD). The National Science Foundation provides the infrastructure for the NOAA/ESRL scientific operations including a state of the art science building named the Atmospheric Research Observatory (ARO) opened in 1997. ARO was built to house current atmospheric research and replaced NOAA's Clean Air Facility, which was in operation from 1977 to 1997. Two GMD observatory staff spend one year tours of duty at the station which includes a 9 month period of isolation and six months of darkness. Atmospheric data has been collected from South Pole since the International Geophysical Year (IGY), 1957 - 1958.
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Carbon Dioxide | CO2 | 1975-01-21 | Ongoing |
Methane | CH4 | 1983-02-20 | Ongoing |
Carbon Monoxide | CO | 1989-12-15 | Ongoing |
Molecular Hydrogen | H2 | 1989-12-15 | Ongoing |
Nitrous Oxide | N2O | 1997-01-16 | Ongoing |
Sulfur Hexafluoride | SF6 | 1997-01-16 | Ongoing |
Carbon-13/Carbon-12 in Carbon Dioxide | d13C (CO2) | 1993-03-28 | Ongoing |
Oxygen-18/Oxygen-16 in Carbon Dioxide | d18O (CO2) | 1993-03-28 | Ongoing |
Carbon-13/Carbon-12 in Methane | d13C (CH4) | 1998-01-01 | Ongoing |
D/H in Methane | dD (CH4) | 2005-02-11 | Terminated - 2010-01-08 |
Methyl Chloride | CH3Cl | 2005-01-28 | Terminated - 2018-01-15 |
Benzene | C6H6 | 2006-10-15 | Terminated - 2018-01-15 |
Methylbenzene | C7H8 | 2006-10-15 | Terminated - 2018-01-15 |
Ethane | C2H6 | 2005-01-28 | Terminated - 2018-01-15 |
Ethylene | C2H4 | 2005-01-28 | Terminated - 2018-01-15 |
Propane | C3H8 | 2005-01-28 | Terminated - 2018-01-15 |
Propylene | C3H6 | 2005-01-28 | Terminated - 2018-01-15 |
Isobutane | i-C4H10 | 2005-01-28 | Terminated - 2018-01-15 |
n-Butane | n-C4H10 | 2005-01-28 | Terminated - 2018-01-15 |
isopentane | i-C5H12 | 2005-01-28 | Terminated - 2018-01-15 |
n-Pentane | n-C5H12 | 2005-01-28 | Terminated - 2018-01-15 |
n-Hexane | n-C6H14 | 2005-01-28 | Terminated - 2018-01-15 |
isoprene | C5H8 | 2006-10-15 | Terminated - 2018-01-15 |
Acetylene | C2H2 | 2007-01-01 | Terminated - 2018-01-15 |
Carbon Cycle In Situ Observatory
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Carbon Dioxide | CO2 | 1975-01-19 | Ongoing |
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
HFC-134a | CH2FCF3 | 1994-03-03 | Ongoing |
HCFC-22 | CHF2Cl | 1992-07-04 | Ongoing |
CFC-12 | CCl2F2 | 2010-01-08 | Ongoing |
Methyl Chloride | CH3Cl | 1995-10-18 | Ongoing |
HCFC-142b | CH3CF2Cl | 1992-07-04 | Ongoing |
Halon-1211 | CBrClF2 | 1992-07-04 | Ongoing |
Methyl Bromide | CH3Br | 1995-10-18 | Ongoing |
HCFC-141b | CH3CCl2F | 1993-01-09 | Ongoing |
CFC-113 | CCl2FCClF2 | 1992-07-04 | Ongoing |
Dichloromethane | CH2Cl2 | 1995-10-18 | Ongoing |
Perchloroethylene (PCE) | C2Cl4 | 1993-02-08 | Ongoing |
Carbonyl Sulfide | COS | 2000-05-15 | Ongoing |
HFC-152a | CH3CHF2 | 2000-01-23 | Ongoing |
Halon-2402 | CBrF2CBrF2 | 1995-10-18 | Ongoing |
HFC-227ea | CF3CHFCF3 | 2010-11-08 | Ongoing |
HFC-365mfc | CH3CF2CH2CF3 | 2009-02-25 | Ongoing |
Methyl Chloroform | CH3CCl3 | 1992-07-04 | Ongoing |
CFC-11 | CCl3F | 2010-01-08 | Ongoing |
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Nitrous Oxide | N2O | 1998-01-26 | Ongoing |
Sulfur Hexafluoride | SF6 | 1998-01-26 | Ongoing |
HCFC-22 | CHF2Cl | 1998-01-25 | Ongoing |
CFC-12 | CCl2F2 | 2000-04-05 | Ongoing |
Methyl Chloride | CH3Cl | 1999-07-02 | Ongoing |
HCFC-142b | CH3CF2Cl | 1998-01-25 | Ongoing |
Halon-1211 | CBrClF2 | 1998-01-30 | Ongoing |
CFC-113 | CCl2FCClF2 | 1998-01-30 | Ongoing |
Carbon Tetrachloride | CCl4 | 1998-02-09 | Ongoing |
Methyl Chloroform | CH3CCl3 | 1998-01-30 | Ongoing |
CFC-11 | CCl3F | 2000-02-16 | Ongoing |
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Light Scattering Coefficient | σsp | 1979-01-01 | Ongoing |
Particle Number Concentration | Nt | 1974-01-01 | Ongoing |
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Direct Normal | 1976-02-01 | Ongoing | |
Downwelling Shortwave | 1978-01-01 | Ongoing | |
Diffuse | 1995-11-10 | Ongoing | |
Upwelling Shortwave | 1985-01-01 | Ongoing | |
Downwelling Longwave | 1993-11-21 | Ongoing | |
Upwelling Longwave | 1993-11-21 | Ongoing | |
Spectral | 2000-12-01 | Ongoing |
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Ozone | O3 | 1975-01-23 | Ongoing |
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Ozone | O3 | 1963-12-05 | Ongoing |
Meteorology
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Wind Speed | ws | 1975-02-21 | Ongoing |
Wind Direction | wd | 1975-02-21 | Ongoing |
Temperature | temp | 1977-01-01 | Ongoing |
Ambient Pressure | press | 1977-01-01 | Ongoing |
Relative Humidity | rh | 1977-03-29 | Ongoing |
Spectral UV Irradiance
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Total Ozone | O3 | 1988-02-01 | Ongoing |
Spectral UV Irradiance (285-600 nm) | 1988-02-01 | Ongoing | |
5 channel narrow-band (~10 nm) filter UV radiometer | 1988-02-01 | Ongoing | |
Total solar irradiance | 1988-02-01 | Ongoing | |
UV index | 1988-02-01 | Ongoing | |
Total UV daily dose | 1988-02-01 | Ongoing |