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    • Earth System Research Laboratory Ozone Water Vapor Group Water Vapor Flight Measurements

    Metadata Updated: September 19, 2023

    The Ozone and Water Vapor Group is part of NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) in Boulder, CO. The Ozone Water Vapor Group conducts research on the nature and causes of the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer and the role of stratospheric and tropospheric ozone and water vapor in forcing climate change and in modifying the chemical cleaning capacity of the atmosphere. This is accomplished through long-term observations and intensive field programs that measure ozone and water vapor levels in the upper troposphere and stratosphere. The Reference Network used by the Ozone and Water Vapor Group is part of NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder, CO. The measurement programs include Total Column Ozone Measurements (Dobson Ozone), Surface Ozone Measurements, Ozonesonde Measurements using balloons, and Water Vapor measurements using balloons.

    Since 1980, the Ozone and Water Vapor group has made in situ measurements of atmospheric water vapor mixing ratios (mole fractions) from the lower free troposphere (~2 km) up to the middle stratosphere (~28 km). These measurements are made using a balloon-borne payload including a NOAA frost point hygrometer, an electrochemical concentration cell, ozonesonde, and a radiosonde to measure temperature, pressure, and payload location via GPS. The payloads are built and calibrated in the laboratory in Boulder, CO. These hygrometers are flown monthly from Boulder to Hilo, Hawaii and Lauder, New Zealand. The primary research focus is the long-term monitoring of upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric water vapor and the processes that control its abundance in the atmosphere. Water vapor is a natural and important component of the Earth's atmosphere. The distribution of water vapor influences physical and chemical properties of the atmosphere (weather, clouds, precipitation, radiation balance, convective uplift, lightning generation, and ozone chemistry) as well as its effects on the Earth's energy budget. Variations in the amounts of water vapor in the atmosphere are natural and normal, but changes in its vertical distribution may be indicative of changes in the Earth's climate which is of great interest.

    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.

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    Dates

    Metadata Date June 23, 2023
    Metadata Created Date February 3, 2023
    Metadata Updated Date September 19, 2023
    Reference Date(s) April 14, 1980 (creation)
    Frequency Of Update monthly

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from ncdc

    Other Data Resources

    Graphic Preview

    Colorado Panorama by Balloon

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Dataset
    Metadata Date June 23, 2023
    Metadata Created Date February 3, 2023
    Metadata Updated Date September 19, 2023
    Reference Date(s) April 14, 1980 (creation)
    Responsible Party DOC/NOAA/ESRL/GMD > Global Monitoring Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce (Point of Contact)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.ncdc:C01564
    Access Constraints Cite as: Hurst, Dale; Jordan, Allen; Hall, Emrys; and NOAA ESRL (2018): Earth System Research Laboratory Ozone Water Vapor Group Water Vapor Flight Measurements, Version 1. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.7289/V57M066N [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 monthly
    Graphic Preview Description Colorado Panorama by Balloon
    Graphic Preview File https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/metadata/images/C01564.jpg
    Graphic Preview Type JPEG
    Harvest Object Id b24f83d7-b835-422e-938d-216562e06171
    Harvest Source Id 2cb3ef77-1683-4c2a-9119-dc65e50917c6
    Harvest Source Title ncdc
    Licence
    Lineage Over 30 years of records of balloon frost point hygrometer launches initiating at Boulder CO. The data originated here at NOAA ESRL, starting with strip chart recordings of sondes in the late 60s.
    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 onGoing
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 1980-04-14

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