Click on image for full size
Courtesy of NCAR/National Science Foundation
Flying from Pole to Pole to Measure Greenhouse Gases
News story originally written on January 7, 2009
A special airplane is heading into the atmosphere for a special flight. It will be flying from the Arctic to the Antarctic – more than 24,000 miles! Along the way, it will measure the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Scientists have other ways to study the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere too. They take samples of the air at the bottom of the atmosphere near the Earth’s surface and looked at the greenhouse gases in it. They have used satellites to study the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from above. But taking so many measurements from an airplane has not been done before. It will give scientists new data that they can compare with climate models.
The plane is designed for science research. It’s a small jet much like the ones that make short flights between cities. But instead of all the seats that you usually find in planes made for carrying people, this plane is filled with tons of scientific equipment.
Last modified February 13, 2009 by Lisa Gardiner.
You might also be interested in:
In the Arctic, you will find the Arctic Ocean surrounded by the continents of Europe, Asia, and North America. You will find the geographic North Pole and the magnetic North Pole there; both are in the
...moreWhat Will You Find There? If you travel to the South Pole, you will find the continent of Antarctica surrounded by the Southern Ocean. The geographic South Pole is marked by a large sign that scientists
...more Only a tiny amount of the gases in Earth’s atmosphere are greenhouse gases. But they have a huge effect on climate. There are several different types of greenhouse gases, but they all have something in
...moreScientists have learned that Mount Hood, Oregon's tallest mountain, has erupted in the past due to the mixing of two different types of magma. Adam Kent, a geologist at Oregon State University, says this
...moreThe Earth's mantle is a rocky, solid shell that is between the Earth's crust and the outer core. The mantle is made up of many different reservoirs that have different chemical compositions. Scientists
...moreSome faults look strong and like they wouldn’t cause an earthquake. But it turns out that they can slip and slide like weak faults causing earthquakes. Scientists have been looking at one of these faults
...moreThe sun goes through cycles that last approximately 11 years. These solar cycle include phases with more magnetic activity, sunspots, and solar flares. They also include phases with less activity. The
...more