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The Second Scientific Ballooning Experiment in the year 2000

The second scientific ballooning experiment was conducted at Sanriku Balloon Center from August 21st through September 4th, 2000. Two large scientific balloons, BT5 and B100, were launched.

B100-7 was launched at 07:13 on August 28th. The purpose of this experiment was to collect stratospheric atmosphere utilizing the balloon-borne liquid-helium cryogenic sampling system that had been developed primarily by ISAS and Tohoku University. Each 25-litre air sample was successfully collected on an atmospheric-pressure basis at 10 almost-evenly spaced points at different altitudes between 14 and 32km. The sampled air will go to the universities and institutes concerned and will be measured for density and variant component isotopes. It is expected that the analytical data obtained will be of great help in understanding the atmospheric circulation in the stratosphere and the photochemical reaction process.

BT5-20 was launched at 10:10 on August 30th. The purpose is the observation of the vertical distribution of ozone density in the stratosphere using the optical ozone sonde developed by Tohoku University. The ozone density was successfully observed at altitudes between 20 to 41km of the balloon summit altitude. These observations have been performed annually at this time of the year since 1994. This experiment enabled us to obtain valuable data to examine secular changes of ozone quantity in the upper stratosphere, which cannot be observed by electrochemical-type ozone sonde in general use. The changes of ozone quantity associated with the changes of solar activity confirmed the results from the previous experiments. Furthermore, the balloon successfully observed waveforms of a vertical distribution of ozone density in the upper stratosphere of several kilometers in size, which cannot be observed by ground observation or remote-sensing technology using artificial satellites.

The scheduled B80-5 test was postponed to the May phase next year for the convenience of the observers.

Nobember 30, 2000