Current ObsPack Data Products

GLOBALVIEWplus CO2

  • GLOBALVIEWplus (GV+) ObsPacks are the next generation of the historic GLOBALVIEW (GV) product. The most significant characteristic of GV+ is a nominal hourly time step for all high-frequency (quasi-continuous) measurements. In practice, this means the majority of original hourly data provided by Principle Investigators (PIs) is simply reformatted into the ObsPack framework. In some instances data sets include higher or lower time resolution as advised by the measurement PIs. Quasi-continuous records in earlier products typically included a single value per day derived from a subset of hourly (or higher frequency) data identified by the contributing investigators as being representative of large well-mixed air masses. GV+ instead reports the hourly averages when they are available. One reason for this change is to accommodate the many high-frequency records where selection for large-scale representation is not based on time-of-day but on other criteria such as wind speed and direction, or measurements of carbon monoxide, radon and other tracers. In most instances, reporting a single value per day for these records is no longer useful.

    There are significant differences between GV+ and GV products. Unlike GLOBALVIEW, the newer GV+ directly includes actual data provided by measurement PIs. Representative measurements as well as those that may be locally influenced are included and identified using the obs_flag variable (see ObsPack documentation for details). The historic GV products are derived from measurements but do not include actual data. A by-product of GV data extension methodology is a Marine Boundary Layer (MBL) reference matrix, which many researchers have found useful. Preparation of GV+ does not require an MBL reference matrix, however, NOAA makes an improved MBL reference matrix freely available here.

    obspack_co2_1_GLOBALVIEWplus_v9.1_2023-12-08 is the most recent product release.

CH4 Product

CO Product

SF6 Product

NRT CO2 Product

  • While GV+ provides fully quality-controlled versions of all available observations for its time span, carbon cycle researchers often need access to observations in the most recent year, before the full GV+ product is available. Some CO2 measurement data are available in near-real time, depending on the measurement laboratory and platform. These advance-access data are prelimiznary and have not undergone full quality control. These provisional CO2 measurements are published in Near-Real Time (NRT) ObsPack products. These NRT products are intended to start at the end of the most recent GLOBALVIEWplus release. Because these data are provisional, it is strongly recommended that NRT data are not used for a time period covered by a standard GV+ release.

    For example the product obspack_co2_1_GLOBALVIEWplus_v4.0 has an end date of 2017-12-31. The subsequent NRT releases obspack_co2_1_NRT_v4.3 will have a start date of 2018-01-01 and an end date no more than one month prior to the release date of the product.

    The NRT products are released approximately once every three months and only contain a subset of the observational datasets that can be found in a full GLOBALVIEWplus release. The data presented in NRT products are preliminary and have not undergone full quality control.

    obspack_co2_1_NRT_v9.2_2024-03-25 is the most recent product release.

NOAA CCGG Multi-species Products

  • The Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network for the Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Gases (CCGG) Group is part of NOAA'S Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML) in Boulder, CO. The Reference Network measures the atmospheric distribution and trends of the three main long-term drivers of climate change, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), as well as carbon monoxide (CO) which is an important indicator of air pollution. The Reference Network measurement program includes continuous in-situ measurements at 4 baseline observatories, also known as global background sites, and 8 tall towers, as well as flask-air samples collected by volunteers at over 50 additional sites, also known as regional background sites, and from small aircraft. These ObsPack products are a collection of measurements from CCGG's Reference Network measurement program.


    CCGG Observatory Insitu:
    NOAA/GML operates four staffed atmospheric baseline observatories from which numerous measurements of greenhouse gases are conducted. These baseline observatories, also known as global background sites, are located in Barrow, Alaska; Mauna Loa, Hawaii; American Samoa; and South Pole, Antarctica. The measured data are baseline levels, trends, and causes of variability of atmospheric gases that have the potential to affect global climate. The ongoing data set is contingent upon the baseline observatories that are still in use going forward.

    is the most recent product release.

    CCGG Tower Insitu:
    NOAA's Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML) began making measurements from tall towers in the 1990s in order to extend long-term carbon-cycle gas monitoring to continental areas. The measured data are baseline levels, trends, and causes of variability of atmospheric gases that have the potential to affect global climate. The tall tower sites are part of the North American Carbon Program and are a primary data source for NOAA's Carbon Tracker CO2 data assimilation system. The historic data set is from 8 tall towers. The ongoing data set is contingent upon the observation sites that are still in use going forward.

    is the most recent product release.

    CCGG Surface Flask:
    The CCGG cooperative air sampling network effort began in 1967 at Niwot Ridge, Colorado. Air samples are collected approximately weekly from a globally distributed network of sites. Measurement data are used to identify long-term trends, seasonal variability, and spatial distribution of carbon cycle gases.

    is the most recent product release.

    CCGG Aircraft Flask:
    Since its inception in 1992, the Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network's aircraft program has been dedicated to collecting air samples in vertical profiles over North America. The program's mission is to capture seasonal and inter-annual changes in trace gas mixing ratios throughout the boundary layer and free troposphere. The measured data are baseline levels, trends, and causes of variability of atmospheric gases that have the potential to affect global climate.
    The historical data set contains measurements from 31 aircraft program missions. The ongoing data set is contingent upon the aircraft program missions that are still in use going forward.

    is the most recent product release.

GLOBALVIEW Product

  • The GLOBALVIEW(GV) ObsPack products were one of the first generations of ObsPack products. These products are derived from measurements but do not include actual data. The GV products are no longer updated with no plans to update any of the products in the future. Therefore we strongly recommend that users download one of our other products if applicable.

    The old published GV products can be download from the archived products at this link data.php?showArchive=1.