Arcturus: Greenhouse Gas Baseline Atmospheric Monitoring Station Data

A prototype atmospheric monitoring station named 'Arcturus' was commissioned in central Queensland in July 2010 by Geoscience Australia and CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research. The station measures concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and the isotopic signature of CO2, alongside meteorological parameters like wind speed and direction. Data is intended to model contributions of natural and anthropogenic sources to local greenhouse gas variability.

Use Cases

• Modeling local CO2 and CH4 variations based on meteorological data and point source emissions.
• Establishing a baseline reference for future atmospheric monitoring at carbon storage sites.
• Analyzing the isotopic signature of CO2 to distinguish between natural and industrial sources.

Strengths

• Station is a prototype designed for remote operation in CCS target areas.
• Measures multiple atmospheric components (CO2, CH4, water vapor, δ13C) and meteorological parameters.

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last updated 2026-04-16 10:20:03.780799; freshness should be verified.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia and CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research, via the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Data collected by a remotely operated atmospheric monitoring station using cavity ringdown instruments.

Time Range

Monitoring began in July 2010.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-16 10:20:03.780799

Geography

Central Queensland, Australia, in a region with cropping, grazing, feedlots, coal mining, and gas production.