Ground based infrared observations from mauna LOA, hawaii and thule greenland in support of the network for the detection of atmospheric composition change (ndacc) the network for the detection of…

This is a grant award from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) to provide ground-based infrared observations from Mauna Loa, Hawaii and Thule, Greenland in support of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC). The award has a ceiling value of $2,114,253.18 and a period of performance ending on June 30, 2021. The grant supports the continuous operation and analysis of measurements from the infrared Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) observing systems at the high latitude site in Thule, Greenland and the sub-tropical high altitude site at Mauna Loa, Hawaii. These observations provide data for satellite validation and research on topics such as trends in ozone and other atmospheric constituents, stratospheric dynamics, and regional and global chemistry. The award does not have a set-aside designation.

Ground based infrared observations from mauna LOA, hawaii and thule greenland in support of the network for the detection of atmospheric composition change (ndacc) the network for the detection of atmospheric composition change (ndacc) has been developed to provide ground-based, high precision, long-term, calibrated measurements of atmospheric constituents of stratospheric and tropospheric importance. These stations and measurements also provide for satellite validation from a globally diverse and representative network of sites. This proposal is primarily for continuing support for operation of and analysis of measurements from the infrared fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) observing systems at the high latitude site in thule, GR (76 n) and for the sub-tropical high altitude site at mauna LOA, hawaii (19 n). The thule observing system has been in continuous operation since late 1999. The key instrumentation, the bruker 125HR FTS and the solar tracker, have been recently upgraded (2015) to current ndacc standards. Observations at mauna LOA have been conducted since 1991 (by denver university until 2008 and by ncar since), making IT one of the longest running infrared sites in the ndacc. The FTS only has been updated to a standard bruker 125HR in 2011. Retrievals of volume mixing ratio (VMR) of the 10 target species defined by the infrared working group (irwg) are routinely derived via ndacc standard processing and submitted to the ndacc data handling facility (DHF) in standard HDF format. We have used the long term data in numerous applications including for satellite validation, analysis of trends in ozone and other species, observing and analyzing changes in stratospheric dynamics, regional and global chemistry and estimating anthropogenic emissions of non-methane hydrocarbons (nmhc). This proposal will outline our plans to improve data quality and dependability of our observing program and some of our current and future areas of scientific research.