Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Skip to content
  • Feedback

    • Earth System Research Laboratory Halocarbons and Other Atmospheric Trace Gases Radiatively Important Trace Species (RITS) Measurements

    Metadata Updated: September 19, 2023

    The Halocarbons and other Atmospheric Trace Species (HATS) group aims to quantify the atmospheric burden, and the distributions and magnitudes of sources and sinks for nitrous oxide and other halogen containing compounds. They utilize numerous types of platforms, including ground-based stations, towers, ships, aircraft, and balloons to accomplish their mission. HATS measures chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) at measurement sites spanning the globe. CFCs are non-toxic, non-flammable chemicals that contain carbon, chlorine, and fluorine atoms. CFCs were used as solvents, refrigerants, and aerosol sprays. While inert in the troposphere, they decompose in the stratosphere to release chlorine for destructive reactions with ozone. This process eventually led to the creation of the "Ozone Hole" over the Antarctic. Monitoring the amounts of CFCs and other trace gases is important, both for tracking the growth and recovery of the Ozone Hole, and because many upward trending trace gases are potent and durable greenhouse gases.

    Original in-situ sampling electron capture gas chromatographs ("RITS"): The Radiatively Important Trace Species (RITS) program consisted of five stand-alone systems that were used to make in-situ measurements at Barrow, AK (BRW), Mauna Loa, HI (MLO), American Samoa (SMO), South Pole, Antarctica (SPO), and Niwot Ridge, CO (NWR) from 1983 until 2001 when the last of the systems was retired. The RITS systems were replaced by the next-generation CATS systems that have remained operational since then. The RITS systems measured nitrous oxide (N2O), the chlorofluorocarbons CFC-12 (CCl2F2), CFC-11 (CCl3F), and CFC-113 (CCl2F-CClF2, although quality measurements of this gas have been nullified by the lack of stable references during the RITS period), methyl chloroform (CH3CCl3), and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) once per hour.

    Through the Big Earth Data Initiative (BEDI), ESRL/GMD has taken their data collection and converted files into NetCDF-4, a self-describing format.

    Access & Use Information

    License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

    Downloads & Resources

    Dates

    Metadata Date June 23, 2023
    Metadata Created Date October 28, 2022
    Metadata Updated Date September 19, 2023
    Reference Date(s) 2017-11 (publication), August 1, 1987 (creation)
    Frequency Of Update notPlanned

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from ncdc

    Other Data Resources

    Graphic Preview

    Radiatively Important Trace Species (RITS) Instrument

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Dataset
    Metadata Date June 23, 2023
    Metadata Created Date October 28, 2022
    Metadata Updated Date September 19, 2023
    Reference Date(s) 2017-11 (publication), August 1, 1987 (creation)
    Responsible Party DOC/NOAA/ESRL/GMD > Global Monitoring Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce (Collaborator)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.ncdc:C01555
    Access Constraints Cite as: Elkins, James W.; Nance, David, Bradley Hall, and NOAA ESRL (2017): Earth System Research Laboratory Halocarbons and Other Atmospheric Trace Gases Radiatively Important Trace Species (RITS) Measurements, Version 1. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.7289/V51N7ZDK [access date]., The information contained herein is provided as a public service, with the understanding that the NOAA/ESRL Global Monitoring Divison makes no warranties, either expressed or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information., Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives., Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
    Bbox East Long 180.0
    Bbox North Lat 90.0
    Bbox South Lat -90.0
    Bbox West Long -180.0
    Coupled Resource
    Frequency Of Update notPlanned
    Graphic Preview Description Radiatively Important Trace Species (RITS) Instrument
    Graphic Preview File https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/metadata/images/C01555.gif
    Graphic Preview Type GIF
    Harvest Object Id 95941f28-c3bd-40c4-9234-df1650c1d9a6
    Harvest Source Id 2cb3ef77-1683-4c2a-9119-dc65e50917c6
    Harvest Source Title ncdc
    Licence
    Lineage Raw data were collected at field sites, transferred to NOAA where initial processing was performed. Quality control and processing were conducted on a desktop computer.
    Metadata Language eng; USA
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-180.0, -90.0], [180.0, -90.0], [180.0, 90.0], [-180.0, 90.0], [-180.0, -90.0]]]}
    Progress completed
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 1987-08-01
    Temporal Extent End 2001-08-31

    Didn't find what you're looking for? Suggest a dataset here.