3D probing of the atmospheric boundary layer and volcanic plumes: Proof of concept

我们建议装备一台遥控齐柏林飞艇，在大气中进行大空间梯度区域的3D测量，包括。垂直剖面和拉格朗日测量。科学目标是更好地了解羽流和具有大空间梯度的大气区域中的化学和微物理过程。我们建议在另一个由NERC资助的项目期间，在尼加拉瓜Masaya火山进行现场部署，进行一项有重点的概念验证研究。一段时间以来，火山喷发对气候的影响一直受到关注。光化学效应直到最近才通过PI参与的测量和计算机建模而变得明显。活性卤素化合物会对对流层的氧化能力(自净能力)产生重大影响。被动脱气火山是这些活性卤素的强烈排放者，火山可能是自然释放的活性卤素的主要来源。我们对羽流发展早期阶段的光化学过程缺乏了解，阻碍了对火山排放对对流层化学和气候强迫的影响的彻底量化。在齐柏林飞艇的计划部署期间，我们将获得有关臭氧和溴氧化物的信息，这是我们了解羽流光化学的关键物种，以及二氧化硫和粒子浓度，这是评估火山羽流气候相关性的最重要因素。在这个项目中，我们将为商用和现场验证的遥控齐柏林飞艇配备现有的、轻型的、最先进的仪器，以探测其早期大气阶段的火山羽流发展。使用r/c齐柏林飞艇将使我们能够对尼加拉瓜马萨亚火山非常不均匀的火山羽流进行真正的三维测量，这表明一个浅的亚陆相熔岩湖长期持续地脱气。现场测量将作为最近资助的一个项目的延伸，该项目名为“火山汞：局部沉积还是全球扩散？”(NERC参考NE/G015600/1)，从而大大降低了当前项目的实地部署费用，并通过采取与该项目高度相关的前所未有的额外措施，为已获资助的项目提供附加值。在当前项目中将获得的关于羽流非均质性的信息将有助于对NE/G015600/1项目中使用的数值模式的评估。我们设想该平台未来将在我们自己的小组中用于火山研究，也将用于大气研究的其他领域，例如探测沿海地区具有强气体通量的3D非均质性以及从海藻产生的气溶胶颗粒，在新近冻结的海冰上方的极地边界层，据信是导致当地和区域臭氧强烈破坏的所谓“溴爆炸事件”的极地边界层，以及盐湖上空，在盐湖上空，卤素氧化物的强烈垂直梯度是由于暴露的盐释放出活性卤素化合物造成的。这些都是国际和平研究所积极参与和广泛引用的领域。

We propose to equip a remote controlled zeppelin to make 3D measurements in the atmosphere in regions of large spatial gradients incl. vertical profiles and Lagrangian measurements. The scientific goal is to yield a better understanding of chemical and microphysical processes in plumes and atmospheric regions with large spatial gradients. We propose a focussed proof-of-concept study with a field deployment at Masaya volcano, Nicaragua during a separately NERC-funded project. The climatic effects of volcanic eruptions have received attention for some time. The photo-chemical effects have only very recently become apparent through measurements and computer modelling that the PIs were involved in. Reactive halogen compounds can have a significant impact on the oxidation capacity (self-cleansing ability) of the troposphere. Passively degassing volcanoes are strong emitters of these reactive halogens and volcanoes might be a dominant source of naturally-released reactive halogens. Our lack of knowledge of photochemical processes in the early stages of plume development hinders a thorough quantification of the effects of volcanic emissions on tropospheric chemistry and climate forcing. During the planned deployment of the zeppelin we will gain information on ozone and bromine oxide, which are key species for our understanding of plume photochemistry as well as sulphur dioxide and particle concentration which are the most important factors to assess the climatic relevance of volcanic plumes. In this project we will equip a commercially available and field-proven remote controlled zeppelin with existing, lightweight, state-of-the-art instruments in order to probe the volcanic plume development in its early atmospheric stage. The use of a r/c zeppelin will enable us to make truly three-dimensional measurements of the very heterogeneous volcanic plume at Masaya volcano in Nicaragua which shows long-term persistent degassing of a shallow subterreanean lava lake. The field measurements will be made as extension to a recently funded project entitled 'Volcanic mercury: local deposition or global dispersion?' (NERC reference NE/G015600/1), thereby reducing the costs for the field deployment of the current project significantly and providing added value to the already funded project by making unprecedented additional measurements that are highly relevant to that project. The information on the plume's heterogeneity that shall be gained in the current project will facilitate the evaluation of the numerical models used in project NE/G015600/1. We envisage future use of the platform in our own groups in volcanic research but also in other fields of atmospheric research such as the probing of 3D heterogeneities in coastal regions with strong fluxes of gases and resulting aerosol particles from sea weed, in the polar boundary layer over newly frozen sea ice where the so-called 'bromine explosion events' are believed to originate that lead to strong local and regional ozone destruction and over salt lakes where strong vertical gradients in halogen oxides result from the release of reactive halogen compounds from the exposed salt. These are all areas where the PI is actively involved and widely cited.