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 flask sampling electron capture gas chromatograph ("Pre-Otto") : Air samples collected in flasks at five remote sites, including Barrow, AK (BRW), Mauna Loa, HI (MLO), American Samoa (SMO), South Pole (SPO), Antarctica, and Niwot Ridge, CO (NWR), were analyzed using the HATS group's original electron capture gas chromatograph (GC-ECD) system beginning in 1977. Two additional sites at Alert, Nunavut, Canada (ALT), and Cape Grim, Tasmania (CGO) were added prior to the original Pre-Otto system's retirement in 1995, when it was replaced by a newer, automated system called "Otto". This program was originally set up under the Geophysical Monitoring for Climatic Change (GMCC) division of NOAA's Air Resources Laboratory. Air was collected weekly at these sites in stainless-steel flasks and analyzed for nitrous oxide (N2O), and the chlorofluorocarbons CFC-11 (CCl3F) and CFC-12 (CCl2F2) in the Boulder labs in Colorado. Through the Big Earth Data Initiative (BEDI), ESRL/GMD has taken their data collection and converted files into NetCDF-4, a self-describing format.

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.

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.

The CSIRO archive of the Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (GAGE) datasets which were designed to determine accurately the atmospheric concentrations of the five halocarbons CFCl3, CF2Cl2, CH3CCl3, CCl4 and CCL2FCCLF2 and also of N2O & CH4 with emphasis on measurement of their long-term trends in the atmosphere. Comparison of these concentrations and trends for the five halocarbons with estimates of their industrial emission rates then enabled calculations of their global circulation rates and globally averaged atmospheric lifetimes. The GAGE project was the continuation and expansion of the ALE (Atmospheric Life Experiment) and precursor to the AGAGE (Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment) global observing system that has been continuously measuring the composition of the atmosphere since. This particular dataset represents measurements taken utilizing automated dual-column electron-capture gas chromatographs which sample the background air about 12 times daily at the following globally distributed sites: Adrigole, Ireland; Cape Meares, Oregon; Ragged Point, Barbados; Cape Matatula, American Samoa; and Cape Grim, Tasmania. Officially GAGE ran for the time period from 1981-1985, although data was continued to be logged until 1996 and is available in yearly files either in Ascii (.txt), Ascii decimal date(.dat) or binary file decimal date format(.dat.bin).

The Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network for the Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Gases (CCGG) Group is part of NOAA'S Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) in Boulder, CO. The Reference Network measures the atmospheric distribution and trends of the three main long-term drivers of climate change, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), as well as carbon monoxide (CO) which is an important indicator of air pollution. The Reference Network measurement program includes continuous in-situ measurements at 4 baseline observatories (global background sites) and 8 tall towers, as well as flask-air samples collected by volunteers at over 50 additional regional background sites and from small aircraft. The air samples are returned to ESRL for analysis where measurements of about 55 trace gases are done. NOAA's Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network maintains the World Meteorological Organization international calibration scales for CO2, CH4, CO, N2O, and SF6 in air. The measurements of the Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network serve as a comparison with measurements made by many other international laboratories, and with regional studies. They are widely used in studies inferring space-time patterns of emissions and removals of greenhouse gases that are optimally consistent with the atmospheric observations. They serve as an early warning for climate "surprises". The measurements are also helpful for the ongoing evaluation of remote sensing technologies. The CCGG cooperative air sampling network effort began in 1967 at Niwot Ridge, Colorado. Today, the network is an international effort which includes regular discrete samples from the NOAA ESRL/GMD baseline observatories, cooperative fixed sites, and commercial ships. Air samples are collected approximately weekly from a globally distributed network of sites. Samples are analyzed for Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Hydrogen Gas (H2), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), and Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6); and by INSTAAR for the stable isotopes of CO2 and CH4 and for many volatile organic compounds (voc) such as ethane (C2H6), ethylene (C2H4) and propane (C3H8). Measurement data are used to identify long-term trends, seasonal variability, and spatial distribution of carbon cycle gases. Through the Big Earth Data Initiative (BEDI), ESRL/GMD has taken their data collection and converted files into NetCDF-4, a self-describing format.

The Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network for the Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Gases (CCGG) Group is part of NOAA'S Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) in Boulder, CO. The Reference Network measures the atmospheric distribution and trends of the three main long-term drivers of climate change, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), as well as carbon monoxide (CO) which is an important indicator of air pollution. The Reference Network measurement program includes continuous in-situ measurements at 4 baseline observatories (global background sites) and 8 tall towers, as well as flask-air samples collected by volunteers at over 50 additional regional background sites and from small aircraft. The air samples are returned to ESRL for analysis where measurements of about 55 trace gases are done. NOAA's Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network maintains the World Meteorological Organization international calibration scales for CO2, CH4, CO, N2O, and SF6 in air. The measurements of the Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network serve as a comparison with measurements made by many other international laboratories, and with regional studies. They are widely used in studies inferring space-time patterns of emissions and removals of greenhouse gases that are optimally consistent with the atmospheric observations. They serve as an early warning for climate "surprises". The measurements are also helpful for the ongoing evaluation of remote sensing technologies. The CCGG cooperative air sampling network effort began in 1967 at Niwot Ridge, Colorado. Today, the network is an international effort which includes regular discrete samples from the NOAA ESRL/GMD baseline observatories, cooperative fixed sites, and commercial ships. Air samples are collected approximately weekly from a globally distributed network of sites. Samples are analyzed for Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Hydrogen Gas (H2), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), and Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6); and by INSTAAR for the stable isotopes of CO2 and CH4 and for many volatile organic compounds (voc) such as ethane (C2H6), ethylene (C2H4) and propane (C3H8). Measurement data are used to identify long-term trends, seasonal variability, and spatial distribution of carbon cycle gases. Through the Big Earth Data Initiative (BEDI), ESRL/GMD has taken their data collection and converted files into NetCDF-4, a self-describing format.

The Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network for the Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Gases (CCGG) Group is part of NOAA'S Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) in Boulder, CO. The Reference Network measures the atmospheric distribution and trends of the three main long-term drivers of climate change, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), as well as carbon monoxide (CO) which is an important indicator of air pollution. The Reference Network measurement program includes continuous in-situ measurements at 4 baseline observatories (global background sites) and 8 tall towers, as well as flask-air samples collected by volunteers at over 50 additional regional background sites and from small aircraft. The air samples are returned to ESRL for analysis where measurements of about 55 trace gases are done. NOAA's Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network maintains the World Meteorological Organization international calibration scales for CO2, CH4, CO, N2O, and SF6 in air. The measurements of the Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network serve as a comparison with measurements made by many other international laboratories, and with regional studies. They are widely used in studies inferring space-time patterns of emissions and removals of greenhouse gases that are optimally consistent with the atmospheric observations. They serve as an early warning for climate "surprises". The measurements are also helpful for the ongoing evaluation of remote sensing technologies. Observatory Measurements: NOAA/ESRL/GMD operates four staffed atmospheric baseline observatories from which numerous measurements of greenhouse gases are conducted. These baseline observatories, also known as global background sites, are located in Barrow, Alaska; Mauna Loa, Hawaii; American Samoa; and South Pole, Antarctica. The measured data are baseline levels, trends, and causes of variability of atmospheric gases that have the potential to affect global climate. These observatories were established in order to provide a sampling of the most remote air on the planet so that the true "background atmosphere" could be monitored. GMD first began continuous in-situ measurements of CO2 at these observatories in 1973, and added CH4 and CO measurements in the 1980's. The ongoing data set is contingent upon the baseline observatories that are still in use going forward. A subset of Observatory Measurements for only carbon dioxide (CO2) taken from Observatories is archived separately with digital object identifiers (DOIs) for each of the four observation stations listed above. The observations run from 1973 through the end of 2016. The main portion of this agreement is for the enhanced "version" of the more encompassing dataset for all of the different types of observation platforms and gases. Through the Big Earth Data Initiative (BEDI), ESRL/GMD has taken their data collection and converted files into NetCDF-4, a self-describing format.