Measurements at the Mauna Loa Observatory stopped after the 2022 eruption of the Mauna Loa volcano, when lava flow crossed the access road and took out power lines to the facility. The observatory remains inaccessible by vehicle and without power from the local utility company.

Observatory staff has established limited solar power in four observatory buildings and restored approximately 33 percent of the measurements onsite, including the Global Monitoring Laboratory and Scripps critical CO2 records and other atmospheric measurements.

Media can contact: Theo Stein (303) 819-7409 (theo.stein@noaa.gov) or Karin Vergoth 303-632-6413‬ (karin.vergoth@noaa.gov)

Organization(s):

NOAA logo National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL)

What does this program measure?

Solar Turbidity.

How does this program work?

When this project was active, turbidity was measured three times per week at MLO with J-202 and J-314 sunphotometers at 380,500,778,862 nm, and continuously with MOD three-wave sunphotometer 380,500,778 nm; narrowband

Why is this research important?

Are there any trends in the data?

How does this program fit into the big picture?

What is it's role in global climate change?

Comments and References

This program is no longer active.

Lead Investigator(s):

Dr. Ellsworth Dutton
303-497-6660

MLO Contact(s):

Paul Fukumura
808-933-6965

Web Site(s)

not applicable

Date Started

RETIRED

Related Programs

Solar Radiation

Photographs:
Tubidity Instrument (Brown Box)
Handheld turbidity sunphotometer
Tubidity (Brown Box)
Sunphotometer touchpad