The Global Atmosphere Watch of the WMO (GAW)
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| GAWSIS GoogleEarth TM Portal | WMO GAW World Data Center (WDC) Databases |
The WMO Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) includes the WMO Background Air Pollution Monitoring Network (BAPMoN) and the WMO Global Ozone Observing System (GO3OS), established respectively in the 1960s and in the 1950s.
The main objective of GAW is to provide data and information on the chemical composition and related physical characteristics of the atmosphere to assess trends, and effects on interactions with the oceans and the biosphere. Information is available from the WMO Secretariat in the form of annual reports on network status.
GAW Station Information data are available online through the GAW Station Information System (GAWSIS) and provide data from the WMO Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) World Data Centers for Greenhouse Gases (WDCGG), World Ozone and UV Data Centre (WOUDC), World Radiation Data Center (WRDC), World Data Center for Aerosols (WDCA), and World Data enter for remote Sensing of the Atmosphere (WDC-RSAT). Data access to the individual World Data Center Databases is also available.
The Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC)
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The international Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) is composed of more than 70 high-quality, remote-sensing research stations for observing and understanding the physical and chemical state of the stratosphere and upper troposphere and for assessing the impact of stratosphere changes on the underlying troposphere and on global climate. While the NDACC remains committed to monitoring changes in the stratosphere with an emphasis on the long-term evolution of the ozone layer, its priorities have broadened considerably to encompass issues such as the detection of trends in overall atmospheric composition and understanding their impacts on the stratosphere and troposphere, and establishing links between climate change and atmospheric composition. Following five years of planning, instrument design and implementation, the NDACC began network operations in January 1991. (from the NWS NDACC web site)
International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC)
The International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) Project, under joint sponsorship of the Commission on Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Pollution (CACGP) of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (IAMAS )and the International Geosphere- Biosphere Programme (IGBP), was created in the late 1980s to address growing international concerns over rapid changes observed in Earth's atmosphere. More...
System d'Analyse par Observation (SAOZ)
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The SAOZ global network is made up of 18 instruments co-located with NDSC measurement sites. The instrument measures such chemical species as ozone, NO, NO2, SO2, and some aromatic hydrocarbons.
For more information and access to other data see the site Service d'Aéronomie
The Atmospheric Lifetime Experiment (ALE), the Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (GAGE), and the Advanced GAGE (AGAGE)
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This is a continuing research network which measures trends of CFCs, CH4, N2O, CO, O3, HFCs, HCFCs, Br species, Halons, plus some short-lived species. NASA is the lead funding agency, with contributions from the UK, Australia, and others. Stations are located at Cape Grim, American Samoa, Barbados, and Mace Head.
NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL)
Global Monitoring Division (GMD)
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As of October 1, 2005, the Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory has merged into the Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) as part of its Global Monitoring Division (GMD)
GMD's mission is to observe and understand, through accurate, long-term records of atmospheric gases, aerosol particles, and solar radiation, the Earth's atmospheric system controlling climate forcing, ozone depletion and baseline air quality, in order to develop products that will advance global and regional environmental information and services.
Data provided are: Aerosols, Carbon Monoxide, Methane, Surface Ozone, Ozonesondes, Water Vapor, Station Meteorology, Halocarbons and other Atmospheric Trace Species, GMD Radiation, Atmospheric Transport and SURFRAD.
European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP)
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EMEP is a scientifically based and policy driven programme under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution for international co-operation to solve transboundary air pollution problems such as acidification, eutrophication, ground level ozone, heavy metals, persistent organic compounds and atmospheric particles.
Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN)
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The World Radiation Monitoring Center (WRMC) is the central archive of all measurements performed within the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN).
BSRN is a project of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) and the Global Energy and Water Experiment (GEWEX) and as such is aimed at detecting important changes in the Earth's radiation field at the Earth's surface which may be related to climate changes.
The data are of primary importance in supporting the validation and confirmation of satellite and computer model estimates of these quantities. At a small number of stations (currently about 40) in contrasting climatic zones, covering a latitude range from 80°N to 90°S (see station maps ), solar and atmospheric radiation is measured with instruments of the highest available accuracy and with high time resolution (1 to 3 minutes).
The BSRN was recently (early 2004) designated as the global baseline network for surface radiation for the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). The BSRN stations contribute to the Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW).
Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesondes (SHADOZ)
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In recent years a number of methods have been developed for estimating tropical tropospheric ozone (TTO) from satellites. Several are based on TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) instruments. However, there is not a consistent verification data set from balloon-borne ozonesondes. A number of stations are operating in the southern hemisphere tropics and subtropics, but with differing frequency and reporting procedures. SHADOZ (Southern Hemisphere ADditional OZonesondes) is designed to remedy this data discrepancy, by coordinating launches, supplying additional sondes in some cases, and by providing a central archive location. Data will be collected in a timely manner and will be available through this website to the SHADOZ and TOMS Science Teams, as well as to the scientific community as a whole. Currently, twelve active sites are participating in SHADOZ. The sites are at Ascension Island; American Samoa; Fiji; Irene, South Africa; Java, Indonesia; Malindi and Nairobi, Kenya; Natal, Brazil; Paramaribo, Surinam; La Réunion, France; San Cristóbal, Galapagos; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. |
