This project will develop and use low-cost, long-duration balloon systems to make measurement within the Arctic polar stratospheric vortex to study ozone depletion issues. The balloon borne instruments will measure polar stratospheric clouds using the backscattersondes developed by the principal investigator, ozone, temperature and eventually nitric acid, aerosols, water vapor, nitrogen dioxide and other trace gasses which are important to ozone depletion. This project is a joint venture of the University of Wyoming and the Central Aerological Obsevatory, Moscow, Russia. The Russian involvement is necessary to obtain permission for the balloons to traverse Russian airspace, to help with tracking and to facilitate payload recovery. This project is jointly funded by the Division Of Polar Programs and the Division of International Programs.
