NARSTO EPA Supersite: Los Angeles Elemental Carbon Measurements, 2000-2003

Los Angeles County, California, is the geographic scope for this dataset of elemental carbon mass concentrations. Data was collected between September 2000 and October 2003 at five sites using a Magee Scientific AE-2 series aethalometer, providing measurements every 5 minutes. The dataset was produced under the EPA Particulate Matter Supersites Program and is hosted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Use Cases

• Modeling temporal trends in black carbon pollution based on 5-minute measurement intervals.
• Analyzing spatial variability of airborne particulate matter across five monitoring sites in the Los Angeles Basin.
• Investigating source-receptor relationships for particulate matter based on optically absorbing carbon data.
• Comparing and evaluating aerosol measurement methods as part of the EPA Supersites Program research priorities.

Strengths

• Data collection spans over three years, from September 2000 to October 2003.
• Measurements were taken at five distinct locations within Los Angeles County.
• High temporal resolution with data points recorded every 5 minutes.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic and temporal bias inherent to the specific monitoring campaign.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Collected using a Magee Scientific AE-2 series dual beam aethalometer in a mobile trailer.

Time Range

September 2000 to October 2003

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-12 23:58:45.985495; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Claremont, Downey, Riverside, Rubidoux, and University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles County, California, USA.