9411761 Balsley In this project the researchers plan to extend the capabilities of state-of-the-art kite technology for atmospheric sampling and related research. The workplan will accomplish this feasibility experiment by (1) increasing the current maximum attainable height from around 3 km to over 13-14 km, and by (2) using the tethered kite as a "sky hook" to enable a small device (a "WindTRAM") to travel up and down the kite tether to obtain high- resolution profiles of ozone, temperature, pressure, and humidity. If successful, the project results will be a unique and inexpensive technique to study vertical profiles of critical atmospheric species throughout the entire troposphere and possibly the lower stratosphere.
