Once a week, the science technicians launch an ozone sensor attached to a helium balloon to measure the amount of ozone in the air. This sensor is called an ozonesonde. This week, our ozone sensor went up 20 miles (or 33 kilometers) into the atmosphere before it popped. All along the way, it was taking important measurements of ozone.
Filling the Balloon with Helium is Only the First Step.
Do you know what ozone is? It is a natural gas that is found in our atmosphere. It can be good or bad, depending on where it is found.
Ozone that is near the ground is not good for people because it helps make smog, which is not healthy.
Ozone that is many miles high in the air is good for people. The ozone high in the air forms a thin shield called the “ozone layer” that blocks some of the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays from reaching earth.
In the 1980’s scientists began to notice that the ozone layer was breaking down, especially over Antarctica. They discovered that chemicals called chlorfluorocarbons (or CFCs) that were used in old refrigerators to cool food was one of the causes of the ozone layer breaking apart. Manufacturers are not allowed to use CFCs in new refrigerators.
You can find out more information about the ozone layer by visiting this website: http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/kids/kids_ozone.html
Scientists think that nature will repair the ozone layer by the year 2065. The weekly launches up here at Summit Station give scientists a weekly view of the ozone layer over the Greenland ice sheet.
It takes about one hour to get the ozone sensor ready to launch. It is much more involved than just filling the balloon with helium gas. The instrument that detects the ozone needs to be “calibrated” so that scientists are comfortable with the data that is sent back to earth.
Before the sensor is launched, the science technicians check to make sure it is working properly.
The science technicians also measure how fast the pump is sucking in air. It has to suck in air at just the right rate. Too fast or too slow will not work. They use soap bubbles to test this. Pretty cool!
Can you see the soap bubbles in the tube? Marie is timing how fast they travel up the tube to make sure the pump is working at the correct speed.
Once everything is ready, the sensor is attached to the side of a Styrofoam box.
The sensor is taped to the outside of a styrofoam box. The inside of the box is where a battery is located.
Then, after the sensor is attached to the balloon, it is launch time!
Kevin McMahon helps launch the ozonesonde.