Annual air samples from Arrival Heights, Antarctica, track the mixing ratios of C2-C10 non-methane hydrocarbons to deduce atmospheric oxidation. SCIOPS collects 12 to 18 whole dry air samples each year, analyzing them after drying with magnesium perchlorate. This time series provides a long-term record of trace gas concentrations in a clean-air Antarctic sector.
Use Cases
- Analyze long-term trends in C2-C10 hydrocarbon mixing ratios to study changes in atmospheric oxidation capacity over decades.
- Model the seasonal and interannual variability of specific NMHCs (e.g., ethane, propane) from clean-sector air samples.
- Correlate hydrocarbon ratios with other atmospheric datasets to identify source regions and transport pathways to Antarctica.
- Validate chemical transport models by comparing simulated NMHC concentrations against the observed in-situ measurements.
Strengths
- Time series spans over 30 years, starting in 1990.
- Samples are collected from a clean-air Antarctic site, minimizing local contamination.
- Annual collection of 12 to 18 samples provides consistent temporal resolution.
Limitations
- Sample size is limited to 12-18 data points per year.
- Geographic coverage is restricted to a single location at Arrival Heights.
- Specific column names, measurement units, and data completeness metrics are unknown.
Provenance
- Source
- SCIOPS, via NASA Earthdata.
- Collection Method
- Collection of 2L whole dry air samples, dried with magnesium perchlorate, followed by laboratory analysis.
- Time Range
- 1990 to present.
- Freshness
- Annual updates, but specific last update date is unknown.
- Geography
- Arrival Heights, Antarctica; samples target the clean sector from West through North to East.