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Abstract
Abstract. This paper describes the aerosol measurement setup and results obtained during the BEXUS18 (Balloon-borne Experiments for University Students) stratospheric balloon within the A5-Unibo (Advanced Atmospheric Aerosol Acquisition and Analysis) experiment performed on 10 October 2014 in northern Sweden (Kiruna). The experimental setup was designed and developed by the University of Bologna with the aim of collecting and analyzing vertical profiles of atmospheric ions and particles together with atmospheric parameters (temperature, relative humidity, and pressure) all along the stratospheric ascent of the BEXUS18 stratospheric balloon. Particle size distributions were measured with the MeteoModem Light Optical Aerosol Counter (LOAC) and air ion density was measured with a set of two commercial and portable ion counters. Though the experimental setup was based upon relatively low-cost and light-weight sensors, vertical profiles of all the parameters up to an altitude of about 27 km were successfully collected. The results obtained are useful for elucidating the relationships between aerosols and charged particles between ground level and the stratosphere, with great potential in collecting and adding useful information in this field, also in the stratosphere where such measurements are rare. In particular, the equipment detected coherent vertical profiles for particles and ions, with a particularly strong correlation between negative ions and fine particles, possibly resulting from proposed associations between cosmic rays and ions as previously suggested. In addition, the detection of charged aerosols in the stratosphere is in agreement with the results obtained by a previous flight and with simulations conducted with a stratospheric ion–aerosol model. However, further measurements under stratospheric balloon flights equipped with a similar setup are needed to reach general conclusions about such important issues.
Highlights
It is well recognized that aerosols play a fundamental role in the lower atmosphere as they may affect climate with both a direct effect on absorption and scattering of solar radiation, and an indirect effect through cloud processing (Yu and Turco, 2001; Forster et al, 2007)
In situ observations, either onboard stratospheric balloons or onboard aircraft, are fairly demanding and costly (e.g., Sugita et al, 1999; Matsumura et al, 2001; Hervig and Deshler, 2002; Deshler et al, 2003; Kasai et al, 2003; Watanabe et al, 2004; Hunton et al, 2005; Curtius et al, 2005; Shiraishi et al, 2011; Andersson et al, 2013; Murphy et al, 2014), the present paper aims at promoting the forming of young researchers in the spirit of the BEXUS initiative (Balloon-borne Experiments for University Students; see below), and in elaborating effective and “relatively” cheap experiments to fulfill the need for experimental vertical profiles of aerosol data useful for filling knowledge gaps in atmospheric and climatological research
The comparison of the relative humidity profiles presents instead major differences already in the troposphere: in particular, the strong dryness in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) detected onboard the BEXUS flight with a further decrease up to the altitude of about 5 km is probably due to the slow response of the relative humidity sensors used onboard
Summary
It is well recognized that aerosols play a fundamental role in the lower atmosphere as they may affect climate with both a direct effect on absorption and scattering of solar radiation, and an indirect effect through cloud processing (Yu and Turco, 2001; Forster et al, 2007). Aerosol still represents the largest uncertainty in the correct estimate and interpretation of the ongoing change in Earth’s energy budget (Boucher et al, 2013; IPCC, 2013; Myhre et al, 2013). In this framework, it is of paramount importance to accurately and systematically collect experimental data such as particle number densities, as well as all the properties shedding light on their nature, their size distribution, and their source in or-. Brattich et al.: Aerosols and charged particles on the BEXUS18 stratospheric balloon der to define both qualitatively and quantitatively their role in the troposphere as well as stratosphere
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