Oskar J. Sigurdsson: Lighthouse Keeper, Air Sample Collector and NOAA Environmental Hero
U.S. Ambassador Carol van Voorst presents Oskar J. Sigurdsson, an Icelandic lighthouse keeper, with NOAA's 2007 Environmental Hero Award at a ceremony in Reykjavik, Iceland June 19.
High Resolution (Credit: Sally K. Hodgson, © Bandaríska sendiráðið)
Oskar J. Sigurdsson, a third-generation lighthouse keeper in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland, was preparing to retire, when he was honored with one of NOAA's Environmental Hero Awards in 2007. The publicity in the U.S. and Iceland accompanying this award helped Sigurdsson renew his contract with the Icelandic Meteorological Office and with the Marine Institute so he can continue his lighthouskeeeper duties, as well as collect air samples for NOAA’s Global Monitoring Division in Boulder, Colo.
Sigurdsson has helped NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory’s Cooperative Global Air Sampling Network produce a 15-year time series of carbon dioxide and other trace-gas measurements at Sigurdsson’s home, the Stórhöfdi lighthouse in southwest Iceland’s Westmann Islands.
Sigurdsson’s air samples are important because they help establish “background” levels of these climatically important gases in a relatively clean air mass coming off the Atlantic before it passes over the European continent. The air samples are also used by NOAA scientists and others to study the carbon cycle and global climate change.
Time series of air samples showing increased carbon dioxide levels at the Stórhöfdi Lighthouse in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland.
High Resolution (Credit: NOAA)
Sigurdsson has collected air samples at the lighthouse since 1992. He ships the samples to the U.S. Embassy in Iceland. From there, the samples are forwarded to NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory for analysis.
“Sigurdsson takes great care and is very diligent when collecting his air samples for NOAA,” said NOAA ESRL research chemist, Tom Conway. “Of the nearly 600 samples collected by Oskar, 98 percent have met the lab's strict quality control criteria.”
Sigurdsson, now 70 years old, has served as the Stórhöfdi lighthouse keeper since 1965. Although many lighthouses have been automated, Sigurdsson continues his family tradition, which allows NOAA to benefit as well. NOAA salutes Sigurdsson and all of the past and present Environmental Heroes.