Atmospheric properties measurements and data collection from a hot-air balloon

Abstract

Tethered and free-flying manned hot air balloons have been demonstrated as platforms for various atmospheric measurements and remote sensing tasks. We have been performing experiments in these areas since the winter of 1993. These platforms are extremely inexpensive to operate, do not cause disturbances such as prop wash and high airspeeds, and have substantial payload lifting and altitude capabilities. The equipment operated and tested on the balloons included FTIR spectrometers, multi-spectral imaging spectrometer, PM10 Beta attenuation monitor, mid- and far-infrared cameras, a radiometer, video recording equipment, ozone meter, condensation nuclei counter, aerodynamic particle sizer with associated computer equipment, a tethersonde and a 2.9 kW portable generator providing power to the equipment. Carbon monoxide and ozone concentration data and particle concentrations and size distributions were collected as functions of altitude in a wintertime inversion layer at Logan, Utah and summertime conditions in Salt Lake City, Utah and surrounding areas. Various FTIR spectrometers have been flown to characterize chemical plumes emitted from a simulated industrial stack. We also flew the balloon into diesel and fog oil smokes generated by U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force turbine generators to obtain particle size distributions.