Airborne southern hemisphere ozone experiment/measurements for assessing the effects of stratospheric aircraft (ASHOE/MAESA): A road map

Abstract

ASHOE/MAESA used instruments aboard the ER-2 aircraft to study transport, photochemistry, radiation, and microphysics in the lower stratosphere over a range of seasons and latitudes. During the period from February to November 1994 the ER-2 aircraft flew the suite of instruments between 60°N and 70°S in the longitude sector 115°W to 160°E. Of the 45 flights, 28 were entirely in the southern hemisphere between March and October, 6 were from Hawaii, 2 crossed the tropics between Hawaii and Fiji, and the remainder were from northern California. Data from these and associated ground-based, balloon-borne, and satellite instruments were combined with a variety of operational and research meteorological models to guide the flight planning and to interpret the results. The scientific rationale for the mission is given and the aircraft payload listed. A synopsis of the flights is supplied.