ATom-3 Overview
ATom-3: 26 September - 28 October 2017 Completed
Integration of most instruments was completed in August 2017, with test flights beginning on Sept 11th, 2017.
The plan followed much of the ATom2 flight tracks with additional flights over Antarctica (from Punta Arenas, Chile) and a stop in Cape Verde. We also ended up in Bangor, Maine instead of Thule due to weather so the winter gear wasn’t needed that much this time.
Flights were completed on the dates below (YYYYMMDD, Flight number, Departure location, Arrival location).
20171028: RF01 Palmdale, CA - Palmdale, CA
20171001: RF02 Palmdale, CA - Anchorage, AK
20171004: RF03 Anchorage, AK - Kona, HI
20171006: RF04 Kona, Hawaii - Nadi, Fiji
20171008: RF05 Nadi, Fiji - Christchurch, New Zealand
20171011: RF06 Christchurch, New Zealand - Punta Arenas, Chile
20171014: RF07 Punta Arenas, Chile - Punta Arenas, Chile
20171017: RF08 Punta Arenas, Chile - Ascension Island
20171019: RF09 Ascension Island - Cape Verde Islands
20171020: RF10 Cape Verde Islands - Lajes, Azore Islands
20171023: RF11 Lajes, Azore Islands - Bangor, Maine
20171025: RF12 Bangor, Maine - Anchorage, AK
20171027: RF13 Anchorage, AK - Palmdale, CA
Eddy in sea ice in the Beaufort Sea north of Alaska
Updates from the field were made on Twitter by various people (search for #NASA_ATom or just click here for a full overview: #NASA_ATom.
ATom-3 Flights
RF07 - 14 October 2017
ATom-3 RF07 14 October 2017 To 80S over Antartica
Our flight south from Punta Arenas was a new addition to our route. This was a special addition as our flights coincided with the peak of the Stratospheric Ozone hole (Southern hemisphere spring).
The DC8 can’t fly high enough to sample the stratosphere itself but we sampled the air just below the stratosphere. This region of the world is difficult to get to and operate in so airborne measurements here are scarse. Our flight there have vastly increased the number of measurements here.
Over Antarctica
We didn’t see any penguins by design. We planned the flight to avoid their colonies (it’s baby penguin season!) so as not to stress them out. I guess I will have to wait for another chance to see some penguins in the wild!
Solid Sea Ice in the Weddell Sea
On our way south to 80oS, we did lots of profiles between 30,000 ft and 500 ft.
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Updates from the field will be made on Twitter by various people (search for #NASA_ATom or just click here for a full overview: #NASA_ATom
ATom-3 Media
ATom-3: 26 September - 28 October 2017 Completed
Print
Articles about ATom include:
NASA Goddard - Ozone Hole Detour
Denver Post - Airborne CAT Scan
Harvard Crimson - Interview with Steve Wofsy
Twitter
A collection of some of the ATom3 Twitter posts in an ATom3 Moment
Updates from the field were made on Twitter by various people (search for #NASA_ATom or just click here for a full overview: #NASA_ATom.