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Controlled weather balloon ascents and descents for atmospheric research and climate monitoring
  • Published Date:
    2016
  • Source:
    Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 9(3), 929-938.
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Controlled weather balloon ascents and descents for atmospheric research and climate monitoring
Details:
  • Personal Author:
  • Description:
    In situ upper-air measurements are often made with instruments attached to weather balloons launched at the surface and lifted into the stratosphere. Present-day balloon-borne sensors allow near-continuous measurements from the Earth's surface to about 35 km (3-5 hPa), where the balloons burst and their instrument payloads descend with parachutes. It has been demonstrated that ascending weather balloons can perturb the air measured by very sensitive humidity and temperature sensors trailing behind them, particularly in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS). The use of controlled balloon descent for such measurements has therefore been investigated and is described here. We distinguish between the single balloon technique that uses a simple automatic valve system to release helium from the balloon at a preset ambient pressure, and the double balloon technique that uses a carrier balloon to lift the payload and a parachute balloon to control the descent of instruments after the carrier balloon is released at preset altitude. The automatic valve technique has been used for several decades for water vapor soundings with frost point hygrometers, whereas the double balloon technique has recently been re-established and deployed to measure radiation and temperature profiles through the atmosphere. Double balloon soundings also strongly reduce pendulum motion of the payload, stabilizing radiation instruments during ascent. We present the flight characteristics of these two ballooning techniques and compare the quality of temperature and humidity measurements made during ascent and descent.
  • DOI:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-929-2016
  • Document Type:
    Journal Article
  • Collection(s):
    NOAA Cooperative Institutes
    Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)
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  • Supporting Files:
    No Additional Files
    1. Surrogate gas prediction model as a proxy for Delta C-14-based measurements of fossil fuel CO2
      Personal Author:
      Coakley, K. J.; Miller, J. B.; Montzka, S. A.; Sweeney, C.; Miller, B.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 121(12), 7489-7505.
      Description:
      The measured C-14:C-12 isotopic ratio of atmospheric CO2 (and its associated derived Delta C-14 value) is an ideal tracer for determination of the fossil fuel derived CO2 enhancement contributing to any atmospheric CO2 measurement (C-ff). Given enoug...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 1.76 MB]
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      Personal Author:
      LaFranchi, B. W.; McFarlane, K. J.; Miller, J. B.; Lehman, S. J.; Phillips, C. L.; Andrews, A. E.; Tans, P. P.; Chen, H.; Liu, Z.; Turnbull, J. C.; Xu, X.; Guilderson, T. P.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences, 121(8), 2275-2295.
      Description:
      Radiocarbon in CO2 ((CO2)-C-14) measurements can aid in discriminating between fast (< 1 year) and slower (> 5-10 years) cycling of C between the atmosphere and the terrestrial biosphere due to the 14C disequilibrium between atmospheric and terrestri...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 2.28 MB]
    3. A multiyear estimate of methane fluxes in Alaska from CARVE atmospheric observations
      Personal Author:
      Miller, S. M.; Miller, C. E.; Commane, R.; Chang, R. Y. W.; Dinardo, S. J.; Henderson, J. M.; Karion, A.; Lindaas, J.; Melton, J. R.; Miller, J. B.; Sweeney, C.; Wofsy, S. C.; Michalak, A. M.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 30(10), 1441-1453.
      Description:
      Methane (CH4) fluxes from Alaska and other arctic regions may be sensitive to thawing permafrost and future climate change, but estimates of both current and future fluxes from the region are uncertain. This study estimates CH4 fluxes across Alaska f...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 2.74 MB]
    4. Mesoscale modulation of air-sea CO2 flux in Drake Passage
      Personal Author:
      Song, H.; Marshall, J.; Munro, D. R.; Dutkiewicz, S.; Sweeney, C.; McGillicuddy, D. J.; Hausmann, U.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans, 121(9), 6635-6649.
      Description:
      We investigate the role of mesoscale eddies in modulating air-sea CO2 flux and associated biogeochemical fields in Drake Passage using in situ observations and an eddy-resolving numerical model. Both observations and model show a negative correlation...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 4.06 MB]
    5. Continuous and high-precision atmospheric concentration measurements of COS, CO2, CO and H2O using a quantum cascade laser spectrometer (QCLS)
      Personal Author:
      Kooijmans, L. M. J.; Uitslag, N. A. M.; Zahniser, M. S.; Nelson, D. D.; Montzka, S. A.; Chen, H. L.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 9(11), 5293-5314.
      Description:
      Carbonyl sulfide (COS) has been suggested as a useful tracer for gross primary production as it is taken up by plants in a similar way as CO2. To explore and verify the application of this novel tracer, it is highly desired to develop the ability to ...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 5.11 MB]
    6. UTLS water vapour from SCIAMACHY limb measurements V3.01 (2002-2012)
      Personal Author:
      Weigel, K.; Rozanov, A.; Azam, F.; Bramstedt, K.; Damadeo, R.; Eichmann, K. U.; Gebhardt, C.; Hurst, D.; Kraemer, M.; Lossow, S.; Read, W.; Spelten, N.; Stiller, G. P.; Walker, K. A.; Weber, M.; Bovensmann, H.; Burrows, J. P.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 9(1), 133-158.
      Description:
      The SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) aboard the Envisat satellite provided measurements from August 2002 until April 2012. SCIAMACHY measured the scattered or direct sunlight using different observatio...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 6.13 MB]
    7. Influence of oil and gas emissions on summertime ozone in the Colorado Northern Front Range
      Personal Author:
      McDuffie, E. E.; Edwards, P. M.; Gilman, J. B.; Lerner, B. M.; Dube, W. P.; Trainer, M.; Wolfe, D. E.; Angevine, W. M.; deGouw, J.; Williams, E. J.; Tevlin, A. G.; Murphy, J. G.; Fischer, E. V.; McKeen, S.; Ryerson, T. B.; Peischl, J.; Holloway, J. S.; Aikin, K.; Langford, A. O.; Senff, C. J.; Alvarez, R. J.; Hall, S. R.; Ullmann, K.; Lantz, K. O.; Brown, S. S.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 121(14), 8712-8729.
      Description:
      Tropospheric O-3 has been decreasing across much of the eastern U.S. but has remained steady or even increased in some western regions. Recent increases in VOC and NOx emissions associated with the production of oil and natural gas (O&NG) may contrib...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 1.41 MB]
    8. Summertime surface O-3 behavior and deposition to tundra in the Alaskan Arctic
      Personal Author:
      Van Dam, B.; Helmig, D.; Doskey, P. V.; Oltmans, S. J.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 121(13), 8055-8066.
      Description:
      Atmospheric turbulence quantities, boundary layer ozone (O-3) levels, and O-3 deposition to the tundra surface were investigated at Toolik Lake, AK, during the 2011 summer season. Beginning immediately after snowmelt, a diurnal cycle of O-3 in the at...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 2.83 MB]
    9. A comprehensive estimate for loss of atmospheric carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) to the ocean
      Personal Author:
      Butler, J. H.; Yvon-Lewis, S. A.; Lobert, J. M.; King, D. B.; Montzka, S. A.; Bullister, J. L.; Koropalov, V.; Elkins, J. W.; Hall, B. D.; Hu, L.; Liu, Y. N.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 16(17), 10899-10910.
      Description:
      Extensive undersaturations of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in Pacific, Atlantic, and Southern Ocean surface waters indicate that atmospheric CCl4 is consumed in large amounts by the ocean. Observations made on 16 research cruises between 1987 and 2010...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 2.61 MB]
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      Personal Author:
      Eckert, E.; Laeng, A.; Lossow, S.; Kellmann, S.; Stiller, G.; von Clarmann, T.; Glatthor, N.; Hopfner, M.; Kiefer, M.; Oelhaf, H.; Orphal, J.; Funke, B.; Grabowski, U.; Haenel, F.; Linden, A.; Wetzel, G.; Woiwode, W.; Bernath, P. F.; Boone, C.; Dutton, G. S.; Elkins, J. W.; Engel, A.; Gille, J. C.; Kolonjari, F.; Sugita, T.; Toon, G. C.; Walker, K. A.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 9(7), 3355-3389.
      Description:
      Profiles of CFC-11 (CCl3F) and CFC-12 (CCl2F2) of the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) aboard the European satellite Envisat have been retrieved from versions MIPAS/4.61 to MI-PAS/4.62 and MIPAS/5.02 to MIPAS/5.06 lev...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 12.56 MB]
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      Personal Author:
      Hurst, D. F.; Read, W. G.; Vomel, H.; Selkirk, H. B.; Rosenlof, K. H.; Davis, S. M.; Hall, E. G.; Jordan, A. F.; Oltmans, S. J.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 9(9), 4447-4457.
      Description:
      Balloon-borne frost point hygrometers (FPs) and the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) provide high-quality vertical profile measurements of water vapor in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS). A previous comparison of stratospheric wat...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 2.10 MB]
    12. The influence of daily meteorology on boreal fire emissions and regional trace gas variability
      Personal Author:
      Wiggins, E. B.; Veraverbeke, S.; Henderson, J. M.; Karion, A.; Miller, J. B.; Lindaas, J.; Commane, R.; Sweeney, C.; Luus, K. A.; Tosca, M. G.; Dinardo, S. J.; Wofsy, S.; Miller, C. E.; Randerson, J. T.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences, 121(11), 2793-2810.
      Description:
      Relationships between boreal wildfire emissions and day-to-day variations in meteorological variables are complex and have important implications for the sensitivity of high-latitude ecosystems to climate change. We examined the influence of environm...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 2.44 MB]
    13. Separation of biospheric and fossil fuel fluxes of CO2 by atmospheric inversion of CO2 and (CO2)-C-14 measurements: Observation System Simulations
      Personal Author:
      Basu, S.; Miller, J. B.; Lehman, S.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 16(9), 5665-5683.
      Description:
      National annual total CO2 emissions from combustion of fossil fuels are likely known to within 5-10aEuro-% for most developed countries. However, uncertainties are inevitably larger (by unknown amounts) for emission estimates at regional and monthly ...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 6.92 MB]
    14. Investigating Alaskan methane and carbon dioxide fluxes using measurements from the CARVE tower
      Personal Author:
      Karion, A.; Sweeney, C.; Miller, J. B.; Andrews, A. E.; Commane, R.; Dinardo, S.; Henderson, J. M.; Lindaas, J.; Lin, J. C.; Luus, K. A.; Newberger, T.; Tans, P.; Wofsy, S. C.; Wolter, S.; Miller, C. E.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 16(8), 5383-5398.
      Description:
      Northern high-latitude carbon sources and sinks, including those resulting from degrading permafrost, are thought to be sensitive to the rapidly warming climate. Because the near-surface atmosphere integrates surface fluxes over large ( aEuro-500-100...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 3.56 MB]
    15. Regional atmospheric CO2 inversion reveals seasonal and geographic differences in Amazon net biome exchange
      Personal Author:
      Alden, C. B.; Miller, J. B.; Gatti, L. V.; Gloor, M. M.; Guan, K.; Michalak, A. M.; van der Laan-Luijkx, I. T.; Touma, D.; Andrews, A.; Basso, L. S.; Correia, C. S. C.; Domingues, L. G.; Joiner, J.; Krol, M. C.; Lyapustin, A. I.; Peters, W.; Shiga, Y. P.; Thoning, K.; van der Velde, I. R.; van Leeuwen, T. T.; Yadav, V.; Diffenbaugh, N. S.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Global Change Biology, 22(10), 3427-3443.
      Description:
      Understanding tropical rainforest carbon exchange and its response to heat and drought is critical for quantifying the effects of climate change on tropical ecosystems, including global climate-carbon feedbacks. Of particular importance for the globa...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 1.22 MB]
    16. Airborne methane remote measurements reveal heavy-tail flux distribution in Four Corners region
      Personal Author:
      Frankenberg, C.; Thorpe, A. K.; Thompson, D. R.; Hulley, G.; Kort, E. A.; Vance, N.; Borchardt, J.; Krings, T.; Gerilowski, K.; Sweeney, C.; Conley, S.; Bue, B. D.; Aubrey, A. D.; Hook, S.; Green, R. O.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113(35), 9734-9739.
      Description:
      Methane (CH4) impacts climate as the second strongest anthropogenic greenhouse gas and air quality by influencing tropospheric ozone levels. Space-based observations have identified the Four Corners region in the Southwest United States as an area of...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 1.96 MB]
    17. New approaches to quantifying aerosol influence on the cloud radiative effect
      Personal Author:
      Feingold, G.; McComiskey, A.; Yamaguchi, T.; Johnson, J. S.; Carslaw, K. S.; Schmidt, K. S.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113(21), 5812-5819.
      Description:
      The topic of cloud radiative forcing associated with the atmospheric aerosol has been the focus of intense scrutiny for decades. The enormity of the problem is reflected in the need to understand aspects such as aerosol composition, optical propertie...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 1006.31 KB]
    18. No significant increase in long-term CH4 emissions on North Slope of Alaska despite significant increase in air temperature
      Personal Author:
      Sweeney, C.; Dlugokencky, E.; Miller, C. E.; Wofsy, S.; Karion, A.; Dinardo, S.; Chang, R. Y. W.; Miller, J. B.; Bruhwiler, L.; Crotwell, A. M.; Newberger, T.; McKain, K.; Stone, R. S.; Wolter, S. E.; Lang, P. E.; Tans, P.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Geophysical Research Letters, 43(12), 6604-6611.
      Description:
      Continuous measurements of atmospheric methane (CH4) mole fractions measured by NOAA's Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network in Barrow, AK (BRW), show strong enhancements above background values when winds come from the land sector from July to Dec...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 536.86 KB]
    19. Detecting regional patterns of changing CO2 flux in Alaska
      Personal Author:
      Parazoo, N. C.; Commane, R.; Wofsy, S. C.; Koven, C. D.; Sweeney, C.; Lawrence, D. M.; Lindaas, J.; Chang, R. Y. W.; Miller, C. E.;
      Published Date:
      2016
      Source:
      Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113(28), 7733-7738.
      Description:
      With rapid changes in climate and the seasonal amplitude of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Arctic, it is critical that we detect and quantify the underlying processes controlling the changing amplitude of CO2 to better predict carbon cycle feedbacks in ...
      File Type:
      Filetype[PDF - 1.21 MB]