Horizontal Soundings of the Atmosphere

Abstract

Constant level balloons have been used to provide a trajectory form of meteorological data useful both in applied meteorology and in frontier areas of meteorological research. The Navy constant level balloon sounding system (Transosonde) operated over the Pacific Ocean for a period of two years. The inauguration of jet aircraft flights across the Pacific forced the cessation of Transosonde flights until such time as a distributed mass balloon system is developed which does not constitute a hazard to aircraft. The prospects of such a system exist if one utilizes earth satellites for positioning the horizontal sounding balloons.