Ross Island (ROS)

Antarctica

GRUAN Status

active
since 2018
certified
2021

Site Name

GRUAN (code, name)
ROS, RossIsland
-short
Ross Island

Location

Country
Antarctica
Latitude
77.85 °S
Longitude
166.65 °E
Altitude
10 to 200 m

Map

Site Contact for purposes of GRUAN activities

Name
Richard Querel
Affiliation
NIWA
Address
Lauder, State Highway 85, Central Otago, Private Bag 50061, Omakau
E-Mail
Richard.querel@niwa.co.nz
Phone
+64 3 440 0400
Fax
+64 4 386 0574

The GRUAN site "Ross Island" is a cooperation from several organizations of two countries with three locations.

Site Locations

Location Name

-long, international
Arrival Heights Research Laboratory (N.Z.)
-long, national
Arrival Heights Research Laboratory
WMO (code, name)

Position

Latitude
77.82 °S
Longitude
166.65 °E
Altitude
200 m

Institution / Operator

Name
NIWA
-long, international
National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research
-long, national
National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research
Website
www.niwa.co.nz
Description
Arrival Heights infrastructure is owned and managed by Antarctica New Zealand, a New Zealand government agency. Instruments and measurements (with respect to GRUAN) are the responsibility of NIWA, a Crown Research Institute

Description of Location

Foundation
Description
Arrival Heights is located on Hut Point Peninsula, Ross Island, Antarctica. It is about 1.5 km north of McMurdo Station and 3 km northwest of Scott Base. The station is managed by Antarctica New Zealand (www.antarcticanz.govt.nz). Arrival Heights is located in Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA 122); it is protected to prevent disturbance to an electromagnetically quiet and atmospherically clean area containing highly sensitive upper atmospheric equipment. Arrival Heights is a NDACC station with UVvis, FTIR and Dobson measurements.
General type
Remote polar. Permanent snow and ice (Surface cover types (GlobCover2009))
Topography
Volcanic crater morphology, a ridge at High relative elevation within ridges of low altitude
Land use (within 10 km)
Volcanic rock, Permanent snow and ice. The local area around the Arrival Heights laboratory is protected (ASPA-122). 1 km to the south is McMurdo station, ~500-1000 population during summer. Scott Base is ~3.5km to the south east, (50-100 population in summer). A road connects the laboratory to McMurdo and Scott Base road networks
Climate
Polar-frost, Seasonal break out of sea ice in summer
Website
http://www.ndaccdemo.org/stations/arrival-heights-antarctica

Membership In Other Networks

NDACC
since 1982 (station id: AHTS)
GAW
since 1987 (station id: ARH)
WOUDC
since 1988 (station id: 268)

History

Stratospheric chemical and upper wind measurements started at Arrival Heights in 1982 with zenith-sky NO2 UV/Vis spectroscopy (NIWA) and a MF radar (University of Canterbury). Total column ozone (NIWA, 1988), Spectral UV measurements (Biospherical inc. USA, 1988) and in situ flask sampling of greenhouse gases (NIWA, ~1987) were added in the late 1980s. Arrival Heights was a founding ‘secondary’ station of the NDSC (latter to be known as the NDACC) in the mid-1990s. During the 1990s additional UV and Infrared spectrometers were added to compliment the suite of measurements already there, with a strong focus on ozone heterogenous processes. Surface in situ ozone measurements started in 1996 (NOAA + NIWA). All such measurements continue to present (2019).

Location Name

-long, international
McMurdo Station (U.S.A.)
-long, national
McMurdo Station
WMO (code, name)
89664

Position

Latitude
77.85 °S
Longitude
166.63 °E
Altitude
10 m

Institution / Operator

Name
USAP
-long, international
United States Antarctic Program
-long, national
United States Antarctic Program
Website
https://www.usap.gov/
Description
The United States Antarctic Program (USAP) is managed by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Polar Programs. The upper air programme at McMurdo is also managed by Naval Information Warfare Center, Atlantic.

Description of Location

Foundation
1957
Description
McMurdo Station is Antarctica's largest community, established in 1957. It is built on the bare volcanic rock of Hut Point Peninsula on Ross Island, the farthest south solid ground that is accessible by ship. NDACC station (non-operative): lidar, uvvis, o3sonde
General type
Remote polar. Permanent snow and ice (Surface cover types (GlobCover2009))
Topography
Volcanic crater morphology, located at sea level at the end Hut Point Peninsula
Land use (within 10 km)
volcanic rock, Permanent snow and ice
Climate
Polar-frost, seasonal break out of sea ice in summer

Membership In Other Networks

NDACC
1986
GAW
AERONET
1995

Current Aerological Soundings

Routine Radiosoundings
Instrument-type
RS41-SGP
Manufacturer
Vaisala
Location of launch site
at McMurdo station, balloon facility
Lauch times (UTC)
daily: 00, 12
Instrument manager
William Vandiver, Naval Information Warfare Center, Atlantic

History

Radiosonde launches since 1958

Location Name

-long, international
Scott Base (N.Z.)
-long, national
Scott Base
WMO (code, name)
89665

Position

Latitude
77.85 °S
Longitude
166.78 °E
Altitude
22 m

Institution / Operator

Name
Antarctica New Zealand
-long, international
Antarctica New Zealand
-long, national
Antarctica New Zealand
Website
https://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/
Description
Antarctica New Zealand is the government agency responsible for carrying out New Zealand's activities in Antarctica, supporting world leading science and environmental protection. Scientific measurements and instrumentation are the responsibility of other institutions.

Description of Location

Foundation
1957
Description
Scott Base is located on Pram Point, the South eastern part of Hut Point Peninsula, ~2km east of McMurdo Station. Scott Base was built in 1957 and has been continually manned since. It is the logistical base for New Zealand’s scientific operations in Antarctica. During Summer base numbers vary between 50-100 personnel, down to 10-20 over Winter. A road connects Scott Base to McMurdo station.
General type
located at sea level at Pram Point
Topography
low volcanic headland
Land use (within 10 km)
volcanic rock, permanent snow and ice
Climate
Polar-frost, seasonal break out of sea ice in summer
Website
https://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/scott-base

Membership In Other Networks

NDACC
since 1996
WOUDC
since 1992 (station id: 324)
GAW
(station id: SBS)
GEONET
(station id: SCTB)

History

Scott Base was built in 1957. It has gone thought a series of rebuilds. Surface level meteorological measurements started in 1957 and continues to today, supplemented with an automatic weather station in the 1990s (operated by NIWA). A GNSS receiver unit was installed in 2004, as part of the New Zealand’s GEONET network (https://www.geonet.org.nz/)


Measurement Systems

KeyNameDescriptionInstrument ViewInstrument ChangeZIP
ROS-GN-01 GNSS site SCTB
ROS-RS-01 Ross Island Radiosonde Launch Site (McMurdo)
ROS-RS-02 Ross Island Radiosonde Launch Site (Arrival Heights)

Current data flow