MRI: Development of New Particle Size Spectrometer for Rugged Deployments from the Surface to the Stratosphere

该项目的重点是开发一种现场粒度光谱仪，用于半径从0.1到10微米的颗粒，适合在偏远地点或气球平台上进行短期和长期的自主部署。该仪器的直接应用将是：1)取代目前在怀俄明州拉勒米测量平流层气溶胶剖面的仪器，以及2)在计划于2016年至2018年执行飞行任务的赤道拉格朗日气球上增加颗粒尺寸测量。这种测量很重要，因为气溶胶在中纬度平流层臭氧的化学中起着基本作用，并为水通过穿透对流进入低平流层提供了一条途径，主要是在热带地区。对平流层大小分布的一致记录对于改进过去对气候的估计和预测由于不可预测的火山喷发或可能的地球工程选择而产生的未来变化非常重要。增进对热带对流层顶物种通量的了解，对于了解和预测平流层微量气体和粒子的全球分布非常重要，这两种气体和粒子都是气候和化学模型的基本成分，是预测人类活动对我们生活的大气层的长期影响的主要工具。这些知识是为与各种空气质量和气候问题有关的政策决策提供信息所必需的。新工具的开发和结果将通过同行评议的文献发表。通过该提案开发的仪器将可供该部和其他机构用于今后的测量，特别是拉格朗日气球平台。该项目的参与者将获得宝贵的仪器、实验和科学经验。虽然特别包括一名研究生，但首席调查员小组中的所有研究生都将在一定程度上参与仪器开发和测试。该小组的活动将通过公开演讲和参加怀俄明大学面向有前途的高中生的工程暑期项目扩展到更大的社区。

This project is focused on developing an in situ particle size spectrometer for particles with radii ranging from 0.1 to 10 micrometers, and suitable for short- and long-term autonomous deployments at remote sites, or on balloon platforms. Immediate applications of the instrument would be to: 1) Replace current instrumentation for stratospheric aerosol profile measurements from Laramie, Wyoming, and 2) Add particle size measurements to equatorial Lagrangian balloons planned for missions in 2016 to 2018. Such measurements are important since aerosol play fundamental roles in the chemistry of mid-latitude stratospheric ozone, and provide one pathway for water to enter the lower stratosphere through penetrating convection, mainly in the tropics.There are important societal broader impacts from the scientific measurements possible with new autonomous aerosol spectrometers. Consistent records of stratospheric size distributions are important to refine past estimates of climate and to anticipate future variations, due to unpredictable volcanic eruptions, or possible geo-engineering options. Improving understanding of the flux of species across the tropical tropopause is important to understand and predict the global distribution of stratospheric trace gases and particles, both essential ingredients to climate and chemistry models, which are the primary tools to anticipate long term anthropogenic impacts on the atmosphere in which we live. Such knowledge is needed to inform policy decisions related to a variety of air quality and climate issues. Development of the new instrument and results from it will be published through the peer reviewed literature. Instrumentation developed through the proposal will be available to the department and others for future measurements, in particular the Lagrangian balloon platforms. Participants in the project will gain valuable instrumental, experimental, and scientific experience. While one graduate student is included specifically, all graduate students in the principal investigator's group will participate to some extent in instrument development and testing. The group's activities will be extended to the larger community through public presentations, and participation in the University of Wyoming's Engineering Summer Program for promising high school students.