Earth System Research Laboratory Ozone Water Vapor Group Ozonesonde Measurements

The Ozone and Water Vapor Group is part of NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) in Boulder, CO. The Ozone Water Vapor Group conducts research on the nature and causes of the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer and the role of stratospheric and tropospheric ozone and water vapor in forcing climate change and in modifying the chemical cleaning capacity of the atmosphere. This is accomplished through long-term observations and intensive field programs that measure ozone and water vapor levels in the upper troposphere and stratosphere. The Reference Network used by the Ozone and Water Vapor Group is part of NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder, CO. The measurement programs include Total Column Ozone Measurements (Dobson Ozone), Surface Ozone Measurements, Ozonesonde Measurements using balloons, and Water Vapor measurements using balloons.

An ozonesonde is a lightweight, balloon-borne instrument that is mated to a conventional meteorological radiosonde. As the balloon ascends through the atmosphere it sends information on ozone and standard meteorological quantities (air temperature, pressure, and relative humidity) back to a ground receiving station. The balloon is able to ascend to altitudes of about 115,000 feet (35 km) in about two hours before it will burst. Ozonesonde are launched approximately weekly from 9 locations including American Samoa, Antarctica, Greenland, Fiji, and the United States (Alabama, California, Colorado, Hawaii, and Rhode Island). The data have been collected since 1967.