Mauna Loa measuring station
The Mauna Loa measuring station is a meteorological research station at an altitude of 3,397 meters on the Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii . It belongs to the Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) of the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States.
In order to find out what influence humans have on the composition of the atmosphere and how strong the emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) are, the CO 2 content of the air has been measured in the measuring station since 1958 . The resulting series of measurements, the Keeling curve named after the researcher Charles David Keeling , is the longest continuous recording of the CO 2 concentration in the atmosphere . The measurements document the increasing content of CO 2 in the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil hydrocarbons .
Four air samples of the atmosphere are taken every hour on four 7 m high and one 27 m high tower with air inlet. The hourly average values of the CO 2 content, wind speed and wind direction form the basis for further evaluation. To determine the daily average, data for at least six consecutive hours are required. The data form a basis for the development of climate scenarios using models.
The location of the measuring station in Hawaii is particularly suitable for atmospheric measurements, as the air in the area is hardly affected by local influences from vegetation or people. Since the start of the measurement series in 1958, the equipment and methods have essentially not changed.
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Coordinates: 19 ° 32 ′ 10.6 " N , 155 ° 34 ′ 34.3" W.