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Earth System Research Laboratory Halocarbons and Other Atmospheric Trace Gases Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species (CATS) Measurements

Published by DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Catalog Last Checked: August 03, 2026 at 06:52 AM | Dataset Last Updated: November 01, 2017 at 12:00 AM
The Halocarbons and other Atmospheric Trace Species (HATS) group aims to quantify the distributions and magnitudes of sources and sinks for atmospheric nitrous oxide and halogen containing compounds. They utilize numerous types of platforms, including ground-based stations, towers, ships, aircraft, and balloons to accomplish their mission. HATS also measures chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) at its various measurement sites. CFCs are nontoxic, nonflammable chemicals that contains atoms of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine. They are classified as halocarbons which are compounds that contain carbon and halogen atoms. CFCs were used as solvents, refrigerants, and aerosol sprays. While inert in the lower atmosphere, CFCs decompose in the upper atmosphere (stratosphere) with some of the released chlorine becoming active in destroying ozone in the stratosphere. Over time this lead to the creation of the "Ozone Hole" over the Antarctic. Monitoring the amounts of CFCs and other trace gases is important to tracking the growth or recovery of the Ozone Hole. The Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species (CATS) instruments have been in operation at the NOAA baseline observatories (Barrow, AK, Mauna Loa, HI, American Samoa, and South Pole, Antarctica) since 1999. The CATS instrument measure nitrous oxide (N2O), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), chlorofluorocarbons (CFC-12 (CCl2F2), CFC-11 (CCl3F), and CFC-113 (CCl2F-CClF2)), Halon-1211 (CBrClF2), methyl chloroform (CH3CCl3), and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). The CATS gas chromatographs are custom built instruments that contain separation columns, flow controllers, an air selection valve, and an electron capture detector; all used for making measurements. Through the Big Earth Data Initiative (BEDI), ESRL/GMD has taken their data collection and converted files into NetCDF-4, a self-describing format.

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Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Nitrogen Compounds > Nitrous Oxide Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Halocarbons And Halogens > Chlorofluorocarbons Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Halocarbons And Halogens > Halons Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Halocarbons And Halogens > Carbon Tetrachloride Atmospheric - Composition - Carbon Dioxide, Methane and other Greenhouse Gases (including N2O, CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, SF6 and PFCs) Continent > North America > United States Of America > Alaska Continent > North America > Greenland Continent > North America > United States Of America > Hawaii

Complete Metadata
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accessLevel non-public
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describedByType application/octet-steam
description The Halocarbons and other Atmospheric Trace Species (HATS) group aims to quantify the distributions and magnitudes of sources and sinks for atmospheric nitrous oxide and halogen containing compounds. They utilize numerous types of platforms, including ground-based stations, towers, ships, aircraft, and balloons to accomplish their mission. HATS also measures chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) at its various measurement sites. CFCs are nontoxic, nonflammable chemicals that contains atoms of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine. They are classified as halocarbons which are compounds that contain carbon and halogen atoms. CFCs were used as solvents, refrigerants, and aerosol sprays. While inert in the lower atmosphere, CFCs decompose in the upper atmosphere (stratosphere) with some of the released chlorine becoming active in destroying ozone in the stratosphere. Over time this lead to the creation of the "Ozone Hole" over the Antarctic. Monitoring the amounts of CFCs and other trace gases is important to tracking the growth or recovery of the Ozone Hole. The Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species (CATS) instruments have been in operation at the NOAA baseline observatories (Barrow, AK, Mauna Loa, HI, American Samoa, and South Pole, Antarctica) since 1999. The CATS instrument measure nitrous oxide (N2O), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), chlorofluorocarbons (CFC-12 (CCl2F2), CFC-11 (CCl3F), and CFC-113 (CCl2F-CClF2)), Halon-1211 (CBrClF2), methyl chloroform (CH3CCl3), and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). The CATS gas chromatographs are custom built instruments that contain separation columns, flow controllers, an air selection valve, and an electron capture detector; all used for making measurements. Through the Big Earth Data Initiative (BEDI), ESRL/GMD has taken their data collection and converted files into NetCDF-4, a self-describing format.
distribution 
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identifier https://data.noaa.gov/waf/NOAA/NESDIS/ncei/aim/iso/xml/C01556.xml
issued 1975-01-01T00:00:00.000+00:00
keyword 
[
  "Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Nitrogen Compounds > Nitrous Oxide",
  "Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Halocarbons And Halogens > Chlorofluorocarbons",
  "Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Halocarbons And Halogens > Halons",
  "Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Halocarbons And Halogens > Carbon Tetrachloride",
  "Atmospheric - Composition - Carbon Dioxide, Methane and other Greenhouse Gases (including N2O, CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, SF6 and PFCs)",
  "Continent > North America > United States Of America > Alaska",
  "Continent > North America > Greenland",
  "Continent > North America > United States Of America > Hawaii",
  "Continent > North America > United States Of America > Colorado",
  "Ocean > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > American Samoa",
  "Continent > Antarctica",
  "Vertical Location > Land Surface",
  "ESRL > Earth System Research Laboratory (NOAA)",
  "GAS CHROMATOGRAPHS",
  "AIR MONITORING STATIONS/NETWORKS",
  "ESRL STATIONS > NOAA Earth Science Research Laboratory Stations",
  "Point Resolution",
  "Point Resolution",
  "Hourly - < Daily",
  "DOC/NOAA/ESRL/GMD > Global Monitoring Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY > HALOCARBONS AND HALOGENS > METHYL CHLOROFORM",
  "Ozone Depletion",
  "Montreal Protocal",
  "Halocarbons",
  "Atmospheric - Composition - Nitrous Oxide and Greenhouse Gases (including CFCs, halons, and SF6)"
]
landingPage https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
language 
[]
license https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
modified 2017-11-01T00:00:00.000+00:00
publisher 
{
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  "@type": "org:Organization"
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rights otherRestrictions
spatial ,,,
temporal 1971-06-01T00:00:00+00:00/1971-11-01T00:00:00+00:00
theme 
[
  "geospatial"
]
title Earth System Research Laboratory Halocarbons and Other Atmospheric Trace Gases Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species (CATS) Measurements

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