NOAA In Situ Carbon Monoxide (CO) Measurements

Organization(s):

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML)

What does this program measure?

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is measured in parts per billion (ppb).

How does this program work?

Carbon Monoxide is measured via gas chromatograph and hot mercuric oxide detection.

Carbon Monoxide Instruments	Frequency	Site
Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy	Continuous	MLO
2.5-L glass flask AIRKIT pump unit	2 pair/week	Kumukahi
2.5-L glass flasks,MAKS pump unit	1 pair/week	MLO
2.5-L evacuated glass flasks	1 pair/week	MLO

Why is this research important?

Carbon Monoxide (CO) plays an important role in atmospheric chemistry.

Are there any trends in the data?

Carbon Monoxide is highly variable in the atmosphere, meaning there are periods of increase and periods of decrease.

What is it's role in global climate change?

CO has an indirect greenhouse effect. Changes in CO affect the chemistry of the atmosphere, impacting the removal of Methane (CH₄) and other radiative gases.

The NOAA GML Carbon Cycle-Greenhouse Gases group (CCGG) conducts research to understand the global carbon cycle and its effects on climate. At CCGG measurements are made to determine baseline levels, trends and causes of variability of several atmospheric gases (carbon dioxide, methane and carbon monoxide), that have the potential to affect global climate.

To obtain detailed understanding of the short term as well as long term variations of the greenhouse gases, CCGG makes on-site measurements at the four NOAA/GML baseline observatories, which are far from any pollution sources affecting the gases of interest.