This website is currently undergoing some restructuring work in order to accomodate for the current HALO campaign CIRRUS-HL. All other content from the SouthTRAC campaign will of course remain available.
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Campaign movies
One year ago, unaware of the pandemic that would strike the globe in 2020, the SouthTRAC aircraft campaign took place in Río Grande and El Calafate, Argentina. Since then, data evaluation has been revved up to full intensity, and many instrument groups were able to present interesting preliminary results during a recent (virtual) meeting. This encompasses novel evidence about the occurrence and propagation of gravity waves over the Andes and the Antarctic Pensinsula that interact with the polar vortex, transporting energy into the middle and upper stratosphere. Air mass transport is investigated with interhemispheric comparisons, studying characteristics of exchange between the stratosphere and the troposphere, and within the lower stratospheric regions. Chemical composition analysis is performed on various fronts, one of the most intriguing being the observation of a large number of tracers for biomass burning that occured in several places during the campaign season, predominantly Brazil and Australia. These examples nicely illustrate the long range impact of local emission or excitation events with often global effects. Also plans were made for publications, and first results will be disclosed to the public this year.
A film team had accompanied the scientists, engineers and pilots that were involved in the gravity wave activities. Just recently, they compiled a movie showing the stunning landscape and sky of Patagonia, the unusual work places of the participants and the cutting-edge science they pursue. Really worth watching!
Long version:
Short version:
Original link: DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics
Also KIT published a very insightful series of films covering the composition and transport aspect, daily life and experimental work (in German).
Original links: KIT IMK-ASF, KIT IMK-TRO KITsonde
HALO returns home from phase one
On Wednesday evening at sunset, HALO landed at its home base in Oberpfaffenhofen. The operators on board were tired but happy to be at home (or only a few hours’ train ride away) after three more flights on the way back from Río Grande. Favorable wind conditions even allowed for a little detour further to the north over the North Sea to sample more of the northern hemispheric stratosphere. Continue reading HALO returns home from phase one
Call for proposals by Chilean CONICYT
The Chilean Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (CONICYT) through its funding programme “Fondequip”, together with the Instituto Antártico Chileno (INACH), launched a project contest calling for proposals for research projects using the dataset obtained during the SouthTRAC campaign. Continue reading Call for proposals by Chilean CONICYT
HALO set off to Cape Verde
On time at 0700 UTC (9 o’clock local time in Germany) in a cloudy but dry Bavarian morning, HALO took to the skies and headed south-west for its first interim destination Sal on Cape Verde. The flight today, estimated to take 6.5 hours, marks the beginning of the scientific experiments where all instruments are operational. Continue reading HALO set off to Cape Verde
Soaring campaign starts
The wave soaring campaign by the DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics, accompanying the SouthTRAC campaign from their base in El Calafate at the base of the Andes, will start these days. The first colleagues from DLR arrived on site, along with the Stemme glider.
Infinite beam
Late at night on Thursday scientists tested the 532 nm laser of the ALIMA lidar (light detection and ranging).
The alignment of the laser emitted through a window on top of the aircraft, as well as the telescope that detects the backscattered photons, were adjusted. Continue reading Infinite beam
EMC test flight completed
On Monday HALO completed the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) test flight. Circling over southwestern Bavaria, all scientific instruments were turned on and checked for potential interference with aircraft control, communication and navigation systems. Continue reading EMC test flight completed
Successful EMC ground test
HALO’s electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) ground test was completed successfully today. This test is required before the aircraft may lift off for the first time in this instrument configuration in order to perform the airborne EMC test. This flight is currently scheduled for Monday, 19 August 2019.
First general meeting
Today has been the first official “general meeting” of the SouthTRAC campaign, bringing together most of the participants involved: scientists, students, technicians, project managers.