ARL Weekly News – July 9, 2021

Recent Events

Conference presentation

Todd McKinney, an ARL intern, presented at the “Great Planes Super Launch” conference on 7/9/2021. The talk is on “ASH – Aloft Super Pressure Balloons for High-Altitude Analysis.” His presentation discussed results from the balloon project and working with HYSPLIT for ballooning projects.

Resumption of Aircraft Observations to Measure Ozone Exceedance Events.

In collaboration with colleagues from University of Maryland and Maryland Department of Environment, Xinrong Ren is involved in aircraft observations for the summer 2021  air quality study over the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore area.  Research flights are being conducted in this area during heat waves to capture smog plumes in ozone exceedance events.  A Cessna 402 research aircraft is being deployed in this study and measurements include meteorology and chemical parameters such as ozone, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, black carbon, and greenhouse gases.  Data will be further analyzed to investigate the photochemical ozone production and to evaluate NOAA air quality forecast.