Science

In this particular scenario, the purpose of NOAA global monitoring network is to provide baseline clean air measurements from around the world. This is for aerosols, ozone, various greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O) and their respective isotopes, ozone-depleting gases (CFCs, HCF, etc), and other trace gases (CO, COS, etc). We are not measuring air in polluted urban cities, those are up to local meteorological institute and universities, but we'll gladly assist with the instrumentation and providing technical expertise if needed. To get background clean air you have to measure far away from polluted urban areas. Measuring air in the middle of the ocean also gives you a benefit that the air is well-mixed and somewhat representative of large areas on Earth. That's why we have observatories in remote islands. The lines you see there are ship tracks from partners. Ships en route from Japan-New Zealand, New Zealand-US West coast, and US-East Coast to South Africa occasionally grab air samples for us.