About American Samoa

Site Information

Samoa Tour

Data

  GMD Site Description: SMO
Tutuila, American Samoa [SMO]

Location

  • Country: American Samoa Country Flag
  • Latitude: 14.2474° South
  • Longitude: 170.5644° West
  • Elevation: 42.00 masl
  • Time Zone: Local Time + 11 hour(s) = UTC

Contact

  • Contact Name: Gregg Grundon
  • Address: NOAA Samoa Observatory
    P.O. Box 2568
    Pago Pago, Cape Matatula, 96799, American Samoa
  • Phone:
  • Fax:

Data


Description
The Samoa Observatory is located on the northeastern tip of Tutuila island, American Samoa, on a ridge overlooking the South Pacific Ocean. Established in 1974 on a 26.7 acre site, the observatory is the fourth of the ESRL/GMD Baseline Observatories. Since it's construction, the Samoa Observatory has survived two major hurricanes with only minor damage. A staff of 3 operates the year around facility commuting to work. This Observatory has the distinction of obtaining 30% of its daytime power from solar panels.

GMD Projects at Tutuila

Carbon Cycle Surface Flasks

Parameter Formula First Sample Date Most Recent Sample Date
Carbon Dioxide CO2 1973-08-27 Ongoing
Methane CH4 1983-04-23 Ongoing
Carbon Monoxide CO 1988-09-22 Ongoing
Molecular Hydrogen H2 1989-03-17 Ongoing
Nitrous Oxide N2O 1997-05-07 Ongoing
Sulfur Hexafluoride SF6 1997-05-07 Ongoing
Carbon-13/Carbon-12 in Carbon Dioxide d13C (CO2) 1990-01-04 Ongoing
Oxygen-18/Oxygen-16 in Carbon Dioxide d18O (CO2) 1994-09-22 Ongoing
Carbon-13/Carbon-12 in Methane d13C (CH4) 1998-01-06 Ongoing
D/H in Methane dD (CH4) 2005-03-28 Ongoing
Methyl Chloride CH3Cl 2006-01-19 Ongoing
Benzene C6H6 2007-01-16 Ongoing
toluene C7H8 2007-01-16 Ongoing
ethane C2H6 2005-05-12 Ongoing
ethene C2H4 2005-05-12 Ongoing
propane C3H8 2005-05-12 Ongoing
propene C3H6 2005-05-12 Ongoing
i-butane i-C4H10 2005-05-12 Ongoing
n-butane n-C4H10 2005-05-12 Ongoing
i-pentane i-C5H12 2005-05-12 Ongoing
n-pentane n-C5H12 2005-05-12 Ongoing
n-hexane n-C6H14 2005-05-12 Ongoing
wind speed 1992-07-06 Ongoing
wind direction 1992-07-06 Ongoing
ambient temperature 2004-08-10 2004-09-07
isoprene C5H8 2007-01-16 Ongoing

Carbon Cycle In Situ Observatory

Parameter Formula First Sample Date Most Recent Sample Date
Carbon Dioxide CO2 1976-01-01 Ongoing

HATS Flask Sampling

HATS In Situ Observatory

Parameter Formula First Sample Date Most Recent Sample Date
Nitrous Oxide N2O 1999-01-03 Ongoing
Sulfur Hexafluoride SF6 1999-01-03 Ongoing
HCFC-22 CHF2Cl 1999-05-28 Ongoing
CFC-12 CCl2F2 1999-01-03 Ongoing
Methyl Chloride CH3Cl 1999-01-29 Ongoing
HCFC-142b CH3CF2Cl 1999-01-03 Ongoing
Halon-1211 CBrClF2 1999-01-03 Ongoing
CFC-113 CCl2FCClF2 1999-01-03 Ongoing
carbon tetrachloride CCl4 1999-01-03 Ongoing
Methyl Chloroform CH3CCl3 1999-01-03 Ongoing
CFC-11 CCl3F 1999-01-03 Ongoing

Aerosol Surface, Continuous Measurements

Parameter Formula First Sample Date Most Recent Sample Date
Light Scattering Coefficient σsp 1977-01-01 1991-01-01
Particle Number Concentration Nt 1977-01-01 Ongoing

Radiation In-Situ Observatory

Parameter Formula First Sample Date Most Recent Sample Date
Direct Beam 1976-01-01 Ongoing
Shortwave Global 1976-01-01 Ongoing
Diffuse 1995-08-21 Ongoing
Downward Longwave 1999-08-06 Ongoing

Surface Ozone

Parameter Formula First Sample Date Most Recent Sample Date
Ozone O3 1975-12-14 Ongoing

Dobson Total Ozone

Parameter Formula First Sample Date Most Recent Sample Date
Ozone O3 1975-12-18 Ongoing

Ozonesonde

Trajectories

Lidar

Meteorology

Parameter Formula First Sample Date Most Recent Sample Date
Wind Speed Top 2007-09-05 Ongoing
Wind Direction Top 2007-09-05 Ongoing
Barometric Pressure 2007-09-05 Ongoing
Relative Humidity 2 Meters 2007-09-05 Ongoing
Temperature 2 Meters 2007-09-05 Ongoing
Temperature 10 Meters 2008-02-16 2008-06-19
temperature Top 2007-09-05 Ongoing
Precipitation 2007-09-05 Ongoing