Voyage of the Giant Ozone Research Balloon
The Balloon's Mission
Giant balloons have been an important research tool for scientists for many
years, though most are much better behaved than the one that took a rather unexpected
world tour in the summer of 1998. Environment Canada has been launching research
balloons into the ozone layer for over 20 years, and even in this age of satellites
and hi-tech ground instruments, balloons still have an important role to play
in keeping tabs on the ozone layer. Information from balloon-borne instruments
enables scientists to improve our understanding of changes in the ozone layer
and determine the effectiveness of action taken to reduce ozone-depleting chemicals.
Giant Research Balloon Probes the Ozone Layer
On August 24, 1998, a gigantic research balloon,MANTRA (Middle Atmosphere Nitrogen
TRend Assessment), was launched from Vanscoy, a small town near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,
in a co-operative effort by Environment Canada, the Canadian Space Agency, universities
and industry, to study the thinning of the earth's ozone layer.
The balloon, made of transparent polyethylene as thin as sandwich wrap, and
as tall as a 25-storey building, carried a half-tonne package of instruments
up through the ozone layer, reaching an altitude of about 38 km by sunrise.
As it rose, the instrument package transmitted data back to the ground station
at the Vanscoy base.
By sunset, the balloon had successfully completed its mission. With the data
sent back to Environment Canada by telemetry. The balloon was then scheduled
to descend, with its payload of instruments floating down on an orange and white
parachute and landing near the launch site. Unfortunately, the mechanism to
bring the balloon down failed, and the balloon took off on an unscheduled world
tour. It drifted eastward - crossing Eastern Canada and heading out over the
Atlantic Ocean. It then veered north over Iceland and Northern Russia, and swung
back over Scandinavia. It finally landed ten days later, on September 2, on
Mariehamn Island in Finland - a journey of about 9,000 km. The payload was later
recovered on behalf of Environment Canada by the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
Environment Canada has been launching giant research balloons into the ozone
layer for over 20 years. (Although most have been better behaved than the one
in 1998). Even in this age of satellites and hi-tech ground instruments, balloons
have proven to be an effective and relatively inexpensive method of keeping
tabs on the ozone layer.
Data collected during the balloon's flight will be used in computer models
that simulate atmospheric chemistry. The results, once known, will help to make
our understanding of global ozone depletion more complete. About half of the
observed ozone loss in the atmosphere can be definitely attributed to known
ozone-depleting industrial chemicals; whether the remaining half is caused by
these chemicals or other factors is not yet known.
Giant research balloons can carry heavy payloads of sensitive scientific instruments
directly into the ozone layer where they can record the amount of ozone present,
and measure CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances. In the August 1998 launch
from Saskatoon, the payload contained seven instruments designed by Canadian
scientists. Data from these instruments will be compared to measurements taken
from past balloon flights, to help track changes in the ozone layer over Canada.
The earlier Canadian balloon flights, which began in 1974, were particularly
important, as they were carried out before any major ozone depletion was observed.
Canadian balloon measurements have made a significant contribution to improving
our understanding of the ozone layer. Environment Canada and York University
scientists have used this information to develop and validate computer models
to explain changes in the chemistry of the ozone layer. These models contributed
to the scientific basis of the Montreal Protocol, an historic international
treaty which used scientific research to set limits for the global production
of ozone-depleting substances. Balloon measurements are now helping researchers
determine the effectiveness of steps taken to reduce these substances.
The 1998 balloon project was a collaborative effort between the Canadian Space
Agency, Environment Canada, the Centre for Research in Earth and Space Technology
(CRESTech), the University of Toronto, York University, and the University of
Denver. Scientific Instrumentation Limited (SIL) of Saskatoon provided payload
and launch support.
Balloon research is part of a larger Environment Canada program to understand
changes in the ozone layer. Canadian research on the ozone layer began in the
1930s, as an effort to understand the ozone layer's potential benefit to weather
forecasting. This research was strengthened in the 1970s, when the threat of
ozone depletion was first realised. In 1993, Environment Canada scientists completed
the first long-term study conclusively showing that the thinning of the ozone
layer has led to an increase in ultraviolet levels at the earth's surface.
Environment Canada has operated the World Ozone Data Centre, under the auspices
of the United Nations' World Meteorological Organization, since 1960. These
records are essential for understanding long-term change in the ozone layer.
As well, Environment Canada scientists developed the Brewer Ozone Spectrophotometer,
a state-of-the-art, ground-based scientific instrument. Recognized as the world's
most accurate ozone-measuring instrument, it is now in use in more than 35 countries.
For more information:
David Wardle (416) 739-4632
Environment Canada
Tom McElroy (416) 739-4630
Environment Canada
Created :
2002-08-08
Modified :
2002-12-18
Reviewed :
2002-12-18
Url of this page : http://www.msc.ec.gc.ca /media/balloon/index_e.cfm
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