NAtChem/CORE Network Database

Overview: The NAtChem/CORE Network Database

In recognition of the fact that human activities are having a significant impact on the chemical composition and radiation balance of the atmosphere, the Meteorological Service of Canada has identified a subset of six measurement stations in its existing systematic monitoring networks for longterm (i.e. decades) operation and enhancement. These stations form the core of its measurements program, and constitute the CORE Network (no acronym intended). The goals of the CORE Network are:

• to provide long-term, high quality observations of atmospheric chemicals including those directly affecting climate and air quality, such as the greenhouse and smog-related gases and aerosols and "controlling species", which have an important impact on the control of the radiatively active species in the atmosphere, at locations representative of major atmospheric regimes (and geopolitical regions) across Canada.
• to serve as a national facility which maintains standards, provides expertise, serves as a reference network for monitoring and research studies of other jurisdictions and universities, and fulfils international monitoring commitments.

For the location of the CORE sites see http://www.msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/natchem/core/nettable_e.html. For a description of the measurements at each site, see http://www.msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/natchem/core/measurement_e.html.

The NAtChem CORE Database is designed for statistical data analyses including long-term trend analysis and other related applications. The main features of the CORE Database include consistent temporal resolution of the archived data with hourly sampling averages for each atmospheric constituent being measured at the CORE sites, a wide range of parameters to increase the synergy of the analyses by different means of multivariate analysis techniques, and quality assured and controlled data accompanied with descriptive metadata to foster efficient and dependable retrieval and assure long-term preservation.

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