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)
Organization(s):
US Department of Homeland Security (previously US Department of Energy)
What does this program measure?
Hi-volume radionuclides.
How does this program work?
The samples are obtained by high-volume air filtration using micro-carbon filters. Weekly average samples are obtained.
Analysis is done in the DOE NYC laboratories. MLO results are combined with similar samples taken at Point Barrow, Alaska (BRW), American Samoa (SMO), and South Pole Observatory (SPO). Similar filter samples are collected at the other CMDL observatories.
Why is this research important?
Since January 1963, the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) has conducted the Surface Air Sampling Program (SASP) to study the spatial and temporal distribution of specific natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in the surface ambient air.
Are there any trends in the data?
How does this program fit into the big picture?
What is it's role in global climate change?
Comments and References
This project is no longer active.
Lead Investigator(s):
Fabian Raccah
212-620-3793
MLO Contact(s):
Darryl Kuniyuki
808-933-6965 (x236)
Web Site(s)
http://www.eml.doe.gov/
databases/sasp
Date Started
February, 1982
RETIRED