South Pole, Antarctica, United States [SPO]
Location
- Country: United States
- Latitude: 89.98° South
- Longitude: 24.8° West
- Elevation: 2810.00 masl
- Time Zone: Local Time + -12.0 hour(s) = UTC
Contact
- Contact Name: NOAA
- Address: NOAA/ ESRL Project O-257-S
South Pole Station
PSC 768 Box 400, APO AP, 96598-5400, Antarctica - Phone: (303) 497-6655
- Fax: (303) 497-5590
Data
Cooperating Agencies
National Science Foundation
The South Pole Observatory was established at the geographical south pole at 2837 m above sea level in 1957 as part of the International Geophysical Year. The South Pole Observatory (SPO) is one of six atmospheric baseline observatories for NOAA's 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 opened in 1997. ARO was built to house current atmospheric research and replaced NOAA's Clean Air Facility 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.
GMD Projects at South Pole, Antarctica
| 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 | Ongoing |
| Benzene | C6H6 | 2006-10-15 | Ongoing |
| toluene | C7H8 | 2006-10-15 | Ongoing |
| ethane | C2H6 | 2005-01-28 | Ongoing |
| ethene | C2H4 | 2005-01-28 | Ongoing |
| propane | C3H8 | 2005-01-28 | Ongoing |
| propene | C3H6 | 2005-01-28 | Ongoing |
| i-butane | i-C4H10 | 2005-01-28 | Ongoing |
| n-butane | n-C4H10 | 2005-01-28 | Ongoing |
| i-pentane | i-C5H12 | 2005-01-28 | Ongoing |
| n-pentane | n-C5H12 | 2005-01-28 | Ongoing |
| n-hexane | n-C6H14 | 2005-01-28 | Ongoing |
| Wind Speed | ws | 1992-01-16 | Ongoing |
| Wind Direction | wd | 1992-01-16 | Ongoing |
| isoprene | C5H8 | 2006-10-15 | Ongoing |
| Acetylene | C2H2 | 2010-01-24 | Ongoing |
Carbon Cycle In Situ Observatory
| Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon Dioxide | CO2 | 1975-11-25 | Ongoing |
HATS Flask Sampling
| Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HFC-134a | CH2FCF3 | 1994-03-03 | Ongoing |
| HCFC-22 | CHF2Cl | 1992-07-04 | 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 |
| tetrachloroethylene | C2Cl4 | 1993-02-08 | Ongoing |
| carbonyl sulfide | COS | 2000-05-15 | Ongoing |
| HFC-152a | CH3CHF2 | 1995-10-18 | Ongoing |
| Halon 1301 | CF3Br | 2004-02-01 | Ongoing |
| Halon 2402 | CBrF2CBrF2 | 1995-10-18 | Ongoing |
| HFC-143a | CH3CF3 | 2006-12-08 | Ongoing |
| HFC-227ea | CF3CHFCF3 | 2010-11-08 | Ongoing |
| HFC-365mfc | CH3CF2CH2CF3 | 2009-02-25 | Ongoing |
| HFC-125 | CHF2CF3 | 2006-12-08 | Ongoing |
| HFC-32 | CH2F2 | 2008-09-08 | Ongoing |
| Methyl Chloroform | CH3CCl3 | 1992-07-04 | Ongoing |
HATS In Situ Observatory
| 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 | 1998-02-23 | Ongoing |
| Methyl Chloride | CH3Cl | 1999-07-02 | Ongoing |
| HCFC-142b | CH3CF2Cl | 1998-01-25 | Ongoing |
| Halon-1211 | CBrClF2 | 1998-02-09 | Ongoing |
| CFC-113 | CCl2FCClF2 | 1998-01-30 | Ongoing |
| carbon tetrachloride | CCl4 | 1998-02-10 | Ongoing |
| Methyl Chloroform | CH3CCl3 | 1998-01-30 | Ongoing |
| CFC-11 | CCl3F | 1998-02-05 | Ongoing |
Aerosol Surface In-Situ
| Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Scattering Coefficient | σsp | 1979-01-01 | Ongoing |
| Light Absorption Coefficient | σap | 1979-01-01 | Ongoing |
| Particle Number Concentration | Nt | 1974-01-01 | Ongoing |
Radiation In-Situ Observatory
| Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Beam | 1976-01-01 | Ongoing | |
| Shortwave Global | 1976-01-01 | Ongoing | |
| Diffuse | 1995-11-10 | Ongoing | |
| Reflected Shortwave | 1985-01-01 | Ongoing | |
| Downward Longwave | 1993-11-21 | Ongoing | |
| Upward Longwave | 1993-11-21 | Ongoing |
Surface Ozone
| Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ozone | O3 | 1975-01-23 | Ongoing |
Dobson Total Ozone
| Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ozone | O3 | 1963-12-04 | Ongoing |
Ozonesonde
Trajectories
Lidar
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 |
Antarctic UV