High frequency measurements from Howard Glacier Meteorological Station (HODM), McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica (1993-2022, ongoing)

Summary

Abstract:

As part of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research program, meteorological data are collected from various locations throughout the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica. This package contains 15-minute data from the Howard Glacier Meteorological Station (HODM), located in Taylor Valley (Latitude: -77.67121, Longitude: 163.07732, Elevation: 472 meters above sea level). HODM was established in 1993, during the 93/94 field season.

Date Range:

November 20, 1993 to December 19, 2022

Data Citation

Doran, P.T., Fountain, A.G. 2023. High frequency measurements from Howard Glacier Meteorological Station (HODM), McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica (1993-2022, ongoing). Environmental Data Initiative. DOI: 10.6073/pasta/d5fa37c19b0a399edd85a96dc27920c7. Dataset accessed 3 October 2024.

Dataset(s)

Description:

HODM - Air Temperature

Variables (click to expand):

DATASET_CODE

Label:
Definition: Code for given set of information for Howard Glacier meteorology station
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

METLOCID

Label:
Definition: Location code for Howard Glacier meteorology station
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

DATE_TIME

Label:
Definition: Date/time of sample (New Zealand DST, +13 UTC)
Type: Date/time
Date format: MM/DD/YYYY HH24:MI
Missing values: None specified

AIRT1M

Label:
Definition: Average air temperature at 1 m above ground
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: celsius
Maximum: 15
Minimum: -70
Precision: 0.01
Missing values:
- Null = None given

AIRT3M

Label:
Definition: Average air temperature at 3 m above ground
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: celsius
Maximum: 15
Minimum: -70
Precision: 0.01
Missing values:
- Null = None given

AIRTMAX

Label:
Definition: Maximum air temperature at 2.5 - 3 m above ground
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: celsius
Maximum: 15
Minimum: -70
Precision: 0.01
Missing values:
- Null = None given

AIRTMIN

Label:
Definition: Minimum air temperature at 2.5 - 3 m above ground
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: celsius
Maximum: 15
Minimum: -70
Precision: 0.01
Missing values:
- Null = None given

AIRT_COMMENTS

Label: air temperature comments
Definition: Noted comments by the investigator about the particular measure of air temperature
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

File:

mcmlter-clim-hodm_airt-15min-20230706.csv (41.47 MB)

Description:

HODM - Ice Surface Change

Variables (click to expand):

DATASET CODE

Label:
Definition: Code for given set of information for Commonwealth Glacier meteorology station
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

METLOCID

Label:
Definition: Location code for Commonwealth Glacier meteorology station
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

DATE_TIME

Label:
Definition: Date/time of sample (New Zealand DST, +13 UTC)
Type: Date/time
Date format: MM/DD/YYYY HH:MI
Missing values: None specified

ICESURFCHANGE_CM

Label:
Definition: Elevation of ice surface measured from fixed datum (Elevation of ice surface referenced to 0 at the time of installation)
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: centimeter
Maximum: Not specified
Minimum: Not specified
Precision: 0.1
Missing values:
- Null = None given

ICESURFCHANGE_COMMENTS

Label:
Definition: Noted comments by the investigator about the particular measure of DEPTH_
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

DIST_TO_SURFACE

Label: Distance to surface
Definition: the distance between the sensor and the surface in meters
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: meter
Maximum: Not specified
Minimum: Not specified
Precision: 0.4
Missing values:
- Null = None given

File:

mcmlter-clim-hodm_icesurfchange-15min-20230706.csv (29.16 MB)

Description:

HODM - Solar Radiation

Variables (click to expand):

DATASET_CODE

Label:
Definition: Code for given set of information for Howard Glacier meteorology station
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

METLOCID

Label: METLOCID
Definition: Location code for the Howard glacier meteorology station - HODM
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

DATE_TIME

Label: Date/time
Definition: Date/time of sample (McMurdo time)
Type: Date/time
Date format: MM/DD/YYYY HH24:MI
Missing values: None specified

LWRADIN

Label:
Definition: Incoming longwave radiation based on applying instrument-specific multiplier
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: W/m2
Maximum: 400
Minimum: -5
Precision: 0.1
Missing values:
- Null = None given

SWRADIN

Label:
Definition: Incoming shortwave radiation/solar flux
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: W/m2
Maximum: Not specified
Minimum: Not specified
Precision: 0.1
Missing values:
- Null = None given

SWRADOUT

Label:
Definition: Outgoing shortwave radiation/solar flux
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: W/m2
Maximum: Not specified
Minimum: Not specified
Precision: 0.1
Missing values:
- Null = None given

RADN_COMMENTS

Label: radiation comments
Definition: Noted comments by the investigator about the particular measure of radiation
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

File:

mcmlter-clim-hodm_radn-15min-20230706.csv (60.6 MB)

Description:

HODM - Relative Humidity

Variables (click to expand):

DATASET_CODE

Label:
Definition: Code for given set of information for Howard Glacier meteorology station
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

METLOCID

Label:
Definition: Location code for Howard Glacier meteorology station
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

DATE_TIME

Label:
Definition: Date/time of sample (New Zealand DST, +13 UTC)
Type: Date/time
Date format: MM/DD/YYYY HH24:MI
Missing values: None specified

Label: RH
Definition: The Relative Humidity, the percentage of water contained in the air
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: dimensionless
Maximum: 0
Minimum: 100
Precision: Not specified
Missing values:
- NULL = See RH_COMMENTS for missing value explanation

RH1M

Label:
Definition: Relative humidity at 1 meter
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: percent
Maximum: Not specified
Minimum: Not specified
Precision: 0.1
Missing values:
- Null = See RH_COMMENTS column value for explanation on missing values

RH_COMMENTS

Label: relative humidity comments
Definition: Noted comments by the investigator about the particular measure of relative humidity
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

File:

mcmlter-clim-hodm_rh-15min-20230706.csv (38.06 MB)

Description:

HODM - Wind Direction and Speed

Variables (click to expand):

DATASET_CODE

Label:
Definition: Code for given set of information for Howard Glacier meteorology station
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

METLOCID

Label:
Definition: Location code for Howard Glacier meteorology station
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

DATE_TIME

Label:
Definition: Date/time of sample (New Zealand DST, +13 UTC)
Type: Date/time
Date format: MM/DD/YYYY HH24:MI
Missing values: None specified

WDIR

Label:
Definition: Average wind direction
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: degreesfromnorth
Maximum: 360
Minimum: 0
Precision: 0.1
Missing values:
- Null = See WIND_COMMENTS for missing value explanation

WDIRSTD

Label:
Definition: Standard deviation of wind direction
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: degreesfromnorth
Maximum: Not specified
Minimum: 0
Precision: 0.1
Missing values:
- Null = See WIND_COMMENTS for missing value explanation

WSPD

Label:
Definition: Wind speed
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: metersPerSecond
Maximum: Not specified
Minimum: 0
Precision: 0.1
Missing values:
- Null = See WIND_COMMENTS for missing value explanation

WSPDMAX

Label:
Definition: Maximum wind speed
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: metersPerSecond
Maximum: Not specified
Minimum: 0
Precision: 0.1
Missing values:
- Null = See WIND_COMMENTS for missing value explanation

WSPDMIN

Label:
Definition: Minimum wind speed
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: metersPerSecond
Maximum: Not specified
Minimum: 0
Precision: 0.1
Missing values:
- Null = See WIND_COMMENTS for missing value explanation

WIND_COMMENTS

Label:
Definition: Noted comments by the investigator about the particular measure of WIND_
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

File:

mcmlter-clim-hodm_wind-15min-20230706.csv (49.83 MB)

Description:

HODM - Ice Temperature

Variables (click to expand):

DATASET_CODE

Label:
Definition: Code for given set of information for Howard Glacier meteorology station
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

METLOCID

Label:
Definition: Location code for Howard Glacier meteorology station
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

DATE_TIME

Label:
Definition: Date/time of sample (New Zealand DST, +13 UTC)
Type: Date/time
Date format: MM/DD/YYYY HH24:MI
Missing values: None specified

ICET20CM

Label:
Definition: Ice temperature at 20 cm depth
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: celsius
Maximum: 0
Minimum: -70
Precision: 0.01
Missing values:
- Null = None given

ICET1M

Label:
Definition: Ice temperature at 1 meter depth
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: celsius
Maximum: 0
Minimum: -70
Precision: 0.01
Missing values:
- Null = None given

ICET_COMMENTS

Label:
Definition: Noted comments by the investigator about the particular measure of ICET_
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

ICET50CM

Label:
Definition: Ice temperature at 50 cm depth
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: celsius
Maximum: Not specified
Minimum: Not specified
Precision: 0.01
Missing values:
- Null = None given

File:

HODM_ICET.csv (36.55 MB)

Description:

HODM - Water Vapor Density

Variables (click to expand):

DATASET_CODE

Label:
Definition: Code for given set of information for Howard Glacier meteorology station
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

METLOCID

Label:
Definition: Location code for Howard Glacier meteorology station
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

DATE_TIME

Label:
Definition: Date/time of sample (New Zealand DST, +13 UTC)
Type: Date/time
Date format: MM/DD/YYYY HH24:MI
Missing values: None specified

WVAPD

Label:
Definition: Water Vapor Density
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: gramspercubicmeter
Maximum: Not specified
Minimum: Not specified
Precision: 0.1
Missing values:
- Null = None given

WVAPD_COMMENTS

Label:
Definition: Noted comments by the investigator about the particular measure of WVAPD_
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

File:

HODM_WVAPD.csv (826.68 KB)

Short name:

HODM

Dataset ID:

7012

People

Principal Investigator(s):

Peter T. Doran

Andrew G. Fountain

Contact:

McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER Information Manager

Associated Personnel:

Field Technician

Data Manager

Former Field Crew

Former Data Manager

Methodology

Purpose:

Meteorological data is collected year-round at each of MCM LTER stations. Data is manually downloaded from the meteorological stations during the austral summer. Raw 15 minute data (Level 0) is processed and provided as Level 1 data on the MCM LTER website. Field notes, sensor information, processing procedures, QA/QC, and metadata is provided in the Meteorological Post Processing Documentation and Task Lists for each field season at the following address: https://mcm.lternet.edu/meteorological-task-lists

Methods:

At the start of the 1993-1994 field season, the Howard Glacier meteorological station was constructed at the same coordinates as stake 31 on the glacier's mass balance grid (latitude of 77-40-17.36222 S, longitude of 163-04-44.83507 E, and elevation of 472.49343 meters above sea level). The station was set up to sample sensors every 30 seconds and send summary statistics (for example, averages and maximums) to solid-state storage modules every 20 minutes between November 20, 1993 and November 27, 1995, and every 15 minutes thereafter. This has resulted in approximately 20 values being recorded for final storage in every output interval.

Sampling and Averaging Intervals

For Sampling frequency and Data Logger output and averaging intervals please visit:

http://mcmlter.lternet.edu/data/meteorology/methods/Interval_Dates.pdf

Maintenance:

Metadata standardized in 2007 by Gardner and San Gil.

Data and metadata was moved to DEIMS in 2014 (Inigo San Gil)

In 2022, an error was discovered with the 'icesurfchange' dataset and corrected as follows. Beginning 2018-11-27 15:00, values previously found in the 'icesurfchange_cm' column were moved to the 'dist_to_surface' column.

Quality Assurance:

On September 3, 1999, at the request of Thomas Nylen, the data manager did some fine-tuning

of the data. This included:

1. Deletion of flags for ice temperature measurements from Nov 20, 1993 @ 16:30 to Dec

24, 1993 @ 14:30. Instruments were not installed during this time;

2. Removal and flagging of WDir values for measurements taken between Nov 23, 1994 @

10:20 and Jan 23, 1995 @ 13:20 where WSpd = 0. Since the wind speed values during

this time were flagged as bad, the original database query probably did not flag the WDir

data when WSpd =0.

In May 2000, the 1999-2000 data was posted. In the process, Denise Steigerwald changed the

layout of the files so that they were sorted by category (air temperatures, humidity, radiation,

wind etc.) rather than by year. Files containing monthly and daily averages were generated and

minor adjustments were made to the metadata.

On May 30, 2000, relative humidity (RH) values were corrected for a systematic error in the

measurement created by an instrument manufacturer error. All RH data with air temperatures

below freezing were corrected using the vapor pressure over ice (rather than over water which

was used initially). The error became quite large for very cold temperatures (the correction could

grow to around 30%). The formula used for the correction was:

RH_corr=RH_orig/((A*temp*temp)+(B*temp)+C)

where

RH_corr = corrected relative humidity

RH_orig = original relative humidity

temp = air temperature

A = 4.165E-5

B = 9.7E-3

C = 1.0

For example, with an air temperature of -2.3 and RH_orig of 50.6, the RH_corr will be 51.7.

Records that showed corrected RH values greater than or equal to 100 were changed to 99.99

and flagged.

In June 2000, summary files were added to the web containing daily and monthly statistics.

These were generated by creating "views" of daily and monthly means, minimums, maximums

and counts of the records represented in the Oracle database's meteorology tables.

On May 7, 2003, SwRadIn and SwRadOut values between 11/20/1993 4:30:00 PM and

11/23/1994 8:00:00 AM flagged as questionable because the values are significantly lower than

the other stations during the same time period. It appears the pyranometers were either tilted or

installed improperly. Also SwRadIn and SwRadOut values between 11/25/1997 @ 1445 and

01/10/1998 1430 because the wrong multiplier was used. The SwRadIn values were divided by

109.29 and multiplied by 115.61 and the SwRadOut were divided by 108.7 and multiplied by

116.41.

On June 29, 2004, wind direction between 11/20/1993 16:30 to 11/27/1995 15:00 was flagged

because the data is about +25 degrees off from the true direction. This was determined by

comparing the daily wind direciton over the entire 10 years of record. Additionally, between

11/27/1995 15:30 to 11/25/1997 13:30, the wind direction data was flagged because it is about -

10 degrees off from the true direction.

Research Section:

LTER Core Areas:

disturbance

MCM Keywords:

Keywords:

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