MISSION STATEMENT
The Mauna Loa Observatory (MLO) is an atmospheric baseline station of the Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL), Global Monitoring Division (GMD), of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The mission of ESRL is to measure atmospheric constituents that are capable of forcing change in the climate of the earth and those that may deplete the ozone layer. ESRL accomplishes this goal primarily through long-term tropospheric measurements of key atmospheric parameters such as carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), radon, aerosols, optical depth, and a spectrum of solar radiation parameters.
MLO is also a primary observing site for the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC). The NDACC is a set of high-quality remote-sounding research stations for observing and understanding the physical and chemical state of the stratosphere. Ozone and key ozone-related chemical compounds and parameters are targeted for measurement. The NDACC is a major component of the international upper atmosphere research effort and has been endorsed by national and international scientific agencies, including the International Ozone Commission, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
