Acquisition of a Time Series of Vertical Profiles of 222 Rn and 85Kr for Use in the Development and Validation of Global Circulation Models

由于它们的化学源和汇可以忽略不计，而它们的物理源和去除机制一般都很清楚，因此天然和人工放射性核素在追踪大气运动和输送方面发挥了独特而宝贵的作用。最近，随着全球环流模式（GCMs）的出现，人们越来越认识到这些放射性核素在开发和验证这些模式方面可以发挥的重要作用，这些模式是当前试图理解和模拟气候变化的关键因素。然而，虽然目前的几种GCMs已经纳入了222Rn、210Pb、7Be和85Kr等放射性核素，并将模式预测与观测结果进行比较以评估模式性能，但由于缺乏免费的对流层放射性核素数据库，这种方法的应用受到严重限制。本研究项目旨在获得北半球中纬度地区222Rn和臭氧的夏季和冬季垂直剖面的统计显著序列。这些将从边界层延伸到对流层顶的剖面图将在完善和测试全球环流和气候模式方面具有相当大的价值。NASA的柯伊伯机载天文台（KAO）搭载了一架携带大型红外望远镜的C-141飞机，将获得大约16个剖面。KAO每年进行大约100次飞行，爬升到41,000英尺的高空，以避开会干扰其天文观测的尘埃和水蒸气。自1983年以来，该研究人员一直在KAO上进行基于测量的实验，最近完成了快速采样系统的建设，该系统非常适合在飞机正常上升和下降期间收集222Rn分析样本。

9306151 Kritz Because their chemical sources and sinks are negligible and their physical source and removal mechanisms generally well understood, natural and artificial radionuclides have played a unique and valuable role in tracing atmospheric motions and transports. Most recently, with the emergence of global circulation models (GCMs) there has been a growing realization of the important role these radionuclides can play in developing and validating these models, which are a key element in current attempts to understand and model climatic change. However while several current GCMs have incorporated radionuclide such as 222Rn, 210Pb, 7Be and 85Kr, comparing model predictions with observations to evaluate model performance, the application of this approach is severely limited by the absence of a free tropospheric radionuclide data base. This research program is designed to obtain a statistically significant series of summer and winter vertical profiles of 222Rn, and ozone in the mid-latitude northern hemisphere. These profiles, which will extend from the boundary layer to the tropopause will be of considerable value in refining and testing global circulation and climate models. Approximately 16 profiles will be obtained piggybacking aboard the NASA Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO), a C-141 aircraft which carries a large infrared telescope. The KAO makes about 100 flights a year, climbing to 41,000 ft to get above the dust and water vapor which would interfere with its astronomical observations. This researcher has been flying measurement-based experiments on the KAO since 1983, and has recently completed construction of a fast sampling system, which is ideal for collecting samples for 222Rn analysis during the normal ascent and descent of this aircraft.