South Pole Science Balloons

This past week we experienced some of the coldest temperatures and highest altitudes seen this season. We got down to -107.8 F and saw altitudes just shy of 12,000 feet above sea level making any outdoor activity even more difficult than usual. 

The sun is now a mere 4 degrees below the horizon and there is enough ambient light that we no longer need headlamps when outdoors. With good visibility we can see the furthest structures within the complex and the massive snow drifting that has accumulated throughout. 

In the above photo you can see a very rare phenomena, the earliest sighting of the sun to date. This was due to thermal layering in the atmosphere that refracted the sun's image on our horizon. Very exiting! 

Science Balloons:

Here at the South Pole balloons are launched for weather observations (as seen in my previous post) and for scientific observations that have to do with measuring the amount and density of ozone in the atmosphere. We have all heard about the hole in the ozone layer now for many decades and it appears to be getting smaller, a good thing since it protects every living thing on the planet from the sun's harmful UV rays.

The balloons used for ozone measurements are partially filled and prepped in the BIF as with the meteorological balloons. These balloons fly high into the stratosphere and when fully inflated and depending on the model thy can be very large. I assisted with a launch some time ago and that particular model was 45 feet tall by 18.5 feet in diameter when fully inflated.

In the above photo you can see the partially inflated balloon and the rest of it on the prep table while the doors to the BIF are opened for the launch.

These balloons take two people to launch due to their size and wind speed. One person holds the partially inflated balloon and the other unfurls the rest of the balloon also holding  the sensor package that will transmit information back to the ground.

In the above photo one can see the barely inflated balloon in the distance after launch. As the balloon rises into the atmosphere the pressure decreases and the helium inside expands filling it to full capacity, 45 feet tall and 18.5 feet in diameter.

Next Post? South Pole Telescopes