Mauna Loa Observatory is located on the Island of Hawaii at an elevation of 3397 m on the northern flank of Mauna Loa volcano at 200 north. Established in 1957, Mauna Lao Observatory has grown to become the premier long-term atmospheric monitoring facility on earth and is the site where the ever-increasing concentrations of global atmospheric carbon dioxide were determined. The observatory consists of 10 buildings from which up to 250 different atmospheric parameters are measured by a complement of 12 NOAA/ESRL and other agency scientists and engineers.

Organization
Mauna Loa Observatory (MLO) is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) - Global Monitoring Division (GMD).

Mauna Loa Observatory Location
Due to its remote location in the Pacific Ocean, high altitude (3397 meters, or 11,135 feet above sea level), and great distance from major pollution sources, MLO is a prime spot for sampling the Earth’s background air in the well mixed free troposphere. The observatory protrudes through the strong marine temperature inversion layer present in the region, which separates the more polluted lower portions of the atmosphere from the much cleaner free troposphere.

Prominence of Mauna Loa Observatory
MLO began continuously monitoring and collecting data related to climate change, atmospheric composition, and air quality in the 1950’s. Today, the observatory is best known for its measurements of rising anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the atmosphere, a trend referred to as the “Keeling Curve.” MLO is also known for its measurements of ozone, chemicals that destroy ozone (such as CFCs and HCFCs), solar radiation, and both trospheric and stratospheric aerosols. Data from MLO is also used to calibrate and verify data from satellites and stations around the world.

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