The Barrow Atmospheric Baseline Observatory, established in 1973, is located near sea level 8 km east of Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska at 71.32 degrees north. This facility is staffed by 2 engineers/scientists who often commute to work in winter on snow machines. Due to its unique location, dedicated and highly-trained staff, excellent power and communications infrastructure, the site is host to numerous cooperative research projects from around the world.
BRW's location receives minimal influence from anthropogenic effects. It is about 8 km northeast of the village of Utqiaġvik and has a prevailing east-northeast wind off the Beaufort Sea. It is attended at least 5 days a week for routine inspection and maintenance of the instrumentation. Although the measurements at BRW are made over open tundra, there are large lagoons and a number of lakes in the vicinity, and the Arctic Ocean is less than 3 km northwest of the site. Because of its proximity to these bodies of water and the fact that the prevailing winds are off the Beaufort Sea, BRW is perhaps best characterized as having an Arctic maritime climate affected by variations of weather and sea ice conditions in the Central Arctic.
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Carbon Dioxide | CO2 | 1971-04-25 | Ongoing |
Methane | CH4 | 1983-04-06 | Ongoing |
Carbon Monoxide | CO | 1988-07-24 | Ongoing |
Molecular Hydrogen | H2 | 1988-07-24 | Ongoing |
Nitrous Oxide | N2O | 1997-05-02 | Ongoing |
Sulfur Hexafluoride | SF6 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Sulfur Hexafluoride | SF6 | 1997-05-02 | Ongoing |
Carbon-13/Carbon-12 in Carbon Dioxide | d13C (CO2) | 1990-01-06 | Ongoing |
Oxygen-18/Oxygen-16 in Carbon Dioxide | d18O (CO2) | 1990-01-06 | Ongoing |
Carbon-13/Carbon-12 in Methane | d13C (CH4) | 1998-01-03 | Ongoing |
D/H in Methane | dD (CH4) | 2005-04-01 | Terminated - 2010-03-12 |
HFC-134a | CH2FCF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HCFC-22 | CHF2Cl | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
CFC-12 | CCl2F2 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Methyl Chloride | CH3Cl | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Methyl Chloride | CH3Cl | 2005-05-20 | Terminated - 2018-06-21 |
CFC-114 | CFC-114 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HCFC-142b | CH3CF2Cl | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Halon-1211 | CBrClF2 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Methyl Bromide | CH3Br | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
CFC-11 | CCl3F (ion 103) | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HCFC-141b | CH3CCl2F | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Methyl Iodide | CH3I | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
CFC-113 | CCl2FCClF2 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Dichloromethane | CH2Cl2 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Chloroform | CHCl3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Methyl Chloroform (97) | CH3CCl3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Carbon Tetrachloride | CCl4 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Methelyne Bromide | CH2Br2 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Perchloroethylene (PCE) | C2Cl4 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Bromoform | CHBr3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Benzene | C6H6 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Benzene | C6H6 | 2007-02-16 | Terminated - 2018-06-21 |
Carbonyl Sulfide | COS | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HCFC-21 | CHCl2F | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HFC-152a | CH3CHF2 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HCFC-124 | CHClFCF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Methylbenzene | C7H8 | 2007-02-16 | Terminated - 2018-06-21 |
Carbon Disulfide | CS2 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Ethane | C2H6 | 2005-05-20 | Terminated - 2018-06-21 |
Ethane | C2H6 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Ethylene | C2H4 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Ethylene | C2H4 | 2005-05-20 | Terminated - 2018-06-21 |
Propane | C3H8 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Propane | C3H8 | 2005-05-20 | Terminated - 2018-06-21 |
Propylene | C3H6 | 2005-05-20 | Terminated - 2018-06-21 |
Propylene | C3H6 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Isobutane | i-C4H10 | 2005-05-20 | Terminated - 2018-06-21 |
Isobutane | i-C4H10 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
n-Butane | n-C4H10 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
n-Butane | n-C4H10 | 2005-05-20 | Terminated - 2018-06-21 |
isopentane | i-C5H12 | 2005-05-20 | Terminated - 2018-06-21 |
isopentane | i-C5H12 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
n-Pentane | n-C5H12 | 2005-05-20 | Terminated - 2018-06-21 |
n-Pentane | n-C5H12 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
n-Hexane | n-C6H14 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
n-Hexane | n-C6H14 | 2005-05-20 | Terminated - 2018-06-21 |
isoprene | C5H8 | 2007-02-16 | Terminated - 2018-06-21 |
Halon-1301 | CF3Br | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Halon-2402 | CBrF2CBrF2 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HFC-143a | CH3CF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HFC-227ea | CF3CHFCF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HFC-365mfc | CH3CF2CH2CF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
CFC-115 | CClF2CF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HFC-125 | CHF2CF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
CFC-13 | CClF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HFC-23 | CHF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
PFC-218 | C3F8 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Acetylene | C2H2 | 2007-05-25 | Terminated - 2018-06-21 |
Acetylene | C2H2 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HFC-32 | CH2F2 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HFC-134 | CHF2CHF2 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Halon-1011 | CH2BrCl | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Carbon-14/Carbon in Methane | D14C (CH4) | 2013-03-26 | Terminated - 2021-02-22 |
Carbon-13/Carbon-12 in Carbon Monoxide | d13C (CO) | 1990-03-28 | Terminated - 1996-08-21 |
PFC-14 | CF4 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
PFC-116 | CF3CF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Trifluoroamine | NF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Sulfuryl Fluoride | SO2F2 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HFC-236fa | CF3CH2CF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HCFC-133a | CH2ClCF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
CFC-112 | CCl3CClF2 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Trichloroethylene (TCE) | C2HCl3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HFO-1234yf | CH2=CFCF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HFC-1234zeE | CHF=CHCF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
ethylene dichloride (1,2 DCE) | CH2ClCH2Cl | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HCFC-123 | CHCl2CF3 | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Morpholine | C5F11NO | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Perfluorotriethylamine (PFTEA) | (C2F5)3N | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Perfluorotripropylamine (PFTPA) | (C3F7)3N | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
HFC-245fa | 2023-01-25 | Ongoing |
Carbon Cycle In Situ Observatory
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Carbon Dioxide | CO2 | 1973-07-24 | Ongoing |
Methane | CH4 | 1986-01-29 | Ongoing |
Carbon Monoxide | CO | 1991-09-11 | Ongoing |
Nitrous Oxide | N2O | 2013-06-27 | Ongoing |
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
HFC-134a | CH2FCF3 | 1994-11-25 | Ongoing |
HCFC-22 | CHF2Cl | 1992-04-08 | Ongoing |
CFC-12 | CCl2F2 | 2010-01-04 | Ongoing |
Methyl Chloride | CH3Cl | 1994-04-15 | Ongoing |
HCFC-142b | CH3CF2Cl | 1992-04-08 | Ongoing |
Halon-1211 | CBrClF2 | 1992-02-14 | Ongoing |
Methyl Bromide | CH3Br | 1994-01-26 | Ongoing |
HCFC-141b | CH3CCl2F | 1993-01-07 | Ongoing |
CFC-113 | CCl2FCClF2 | 1992-02-14 | Ongoing |
Dichloromethane | CH2Cl2 | 1994-04-15 | Ongoing |
Perchloroethylene (PCE) | C2Cl4 | 1993-12-11 | Ongoing |
Carbonyl Sulfide | COS | 2000-03-25 | Ongoing |
HFC-152a | CH3CHF2 | 2000-08-03 | Ongoing |
Halon-2402 | CBrF2CBrF2 | 1995-02-25 | Ongoing |
HFC-227ea | CF3CHFCF3 | 2011-06-13 | Ongoing |
HFC-365mfc | CH3CF2CH2CF3 | 2009-08-10 | Ongoing |
Methyl Chloroform | CH3CCl3 | 1992-04-08 | Ongoing |
CFC-11 | CCl3F | 2010-01-04 | Ongoing |
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Nitrous Oxide | N2O | 1998-06-16 | Ongoing |
Sulfur Hexafluoride | SF6 | 1998-06-15 | Ongoing |
HCFC-22 | CHF2Cl | 1998-11-05 | Ongoing |
CFC-12 | CCl2F2 | 1998-06-15 | Ongoing |
Methyl Chloride | CH3Cl | 1998-08-27 | Ongoing |
HCFC-142b | CH3CF2Cl | 1998-09-03 | Ongoing |
Halon-1211 | CBrClF2 | 1998-06-15 | Ongoing |
CFC-113 | CCl2FCClF2 | 1998-06-16 | Ongoing |
Carbon Tetrachloride | CCl4 | 1998-06-16 | Ongoing |
Methyl Chloroform | CH3CCl3 | 1998-06-16 | Ongoing |
CFC-11 | CCl3F | 1998-06-16 | Ongoing |
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Light Scattering Coefficient | σsp | 1976-05-07 | Ongoing |
Light Absorption Coefficient | σap | 1988-01-01 | Ongoing |
Particle Number Concentration | Nt | 1976-05-07 | Ongoing |
Aerosol Chemical Composition | 1998-01-01 | Ongoing | |
Cloud condensation nucleus number concentration | Nccn | 2007-01-01 | Ongoing |
Aerosol Hygroscopic Growth | f(RH) | 2007-01-01 | Ongoing |
Aerosol Size Distribution | n(D) | 2007-01-01 | Ongoing |
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Direct Normal | 1976-03-01 | Ongoing | |
Downwelling Shortwave | 1976-03-01 | Ongoing | |
Diffuse | 1995-07-05 | Ongoing | |
Upwelling Shortwave | 1985-01-01 | Ongoing | |
Downwelling Longwave | 1993-04-20 | Ongoing | |
Upwelling Longwave | 1993-04-20 | Ongoing | |
Spectral | 2001-04-01 | Ongoing |
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Ozone | O3 | 1973-03-14 | Ongoing |
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Ozone | O3 | 1973-07-29 | Ongoing |
Meteorology
Parameter | Formula | First Sample Date | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Wind Speed | ws | 1973-02-17 | Ongoing |
Wind Direction | wd | 1973-02-17 | Ongoing |
Temperature | temp | 1976-01-01 | Ongoing |
Ambient Pressure | press | 1976-01-01 | Ongoing |
Relative Humidity | rh | 1976-01-01 | Ongoing |