Measurements at the Mauna Loa Observatory stopped after the 2022 eruption of the Mauna Loa volcano, when lava flow crossed the access road and took out power lines to the facility. The observatory remains inaccessible by vehicle and without power from the local utility company.
Observatory staff has established limited solar power in four observatory buildings and restored approximately 33 percent of the measurements onsite, including the Global Monitoring Laboratory and Scripps critical CO2 records and other atmospheric measurements.
Media can contact: Theo Stein (303) 819-7409 (theo.stein@noaa.gov) or Karin Vergoth 303-632-6413 (karin.vergoth@noaa.gov)
National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL)
The Mauna Loa Observatory CATS (Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species) CATS program measures the following, where 'ppt' is parts-per-trillion, and 'ppb' is parts-per-billion.
Category | Chemical | Chemical Formula | Units |
---|---|---|---|
Chlorofluorocarbons | Trichloro(mono)fluoromethane | CFC-11 (CCl3F) | ppt |
Chlorofluorocarbons | Dichlorodifluoromethane | CFC-12 (CCl2F2) | ppt |
Chlorofluorocarbons | Trichlorotrifluoroethane | CFC-113 (CCl2F-CClF2) |
ppt |
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons | Chlorodifluoromethane | HCFC-22 (CHClF2) | ppt |
Methyl Halides | Chloroform | CHCl3 | ppt |
Methyl Halides | Methyl Bromide | CH3Br | ppt |
Chlorinated Solvents | Carbon Tetrachloride | CCl4 | ppt |
Chlorinated Solvents | Halon-1211 | CBrClF2 | ppt |
Chlorinated Solvents | Methyl Chloride | CH3Cl | ppt |
Other Measurements | Nitrous Oxide | N2O | ppb |
Other Measurements | Methyl Chloroform | CH3CCl3 | ppt |
Other Measurements | Carbonyl Sulfide | COS | ppt |
Electron Capture Detection-Gas Chromatography is done continuously at MLO.
All of these gases are greenhouse gases. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), methyl halides (CH3Br and CH3Cl), and N2O deplete stratospheric ozone. Chlorinated solvents are involved in regional air quality.
CFCs, CH3CCl3, CH3Br, and CCl4 are decreasing because of the Montreal Protocol. N2O, HCFCs, and HFCs are increasing.
All of these gases are greenhouse gases to a certain degree.
James W. Elkins
303-497-6224 Geoffrey S. Dutton
303-497-6086
Aidan Colton
808-933-6965 (x233)
Paul Fukumura
808-933-6965 (x223)
http://gml.noaa.gov/hats
http://gml.noaa.gov/hats/insitu/cats/
1977
Halocarbon Flasks
Cooperative Global Air Sampling
Greenhouse Gases