A Study Of Mesoscale Features Of Summertime Minimum Wind Fields In The Lower Stratosphere

Mesoscale observations of summertime minimum wind fields in the lower stratosphere disclose a complex mesostructure in the winds located between the stratospheric easterlies and tropospheric westerlies. Anticyclonic rotation of wind directions appears to predominate but speeds, although low, are highly variable. There are a number of layers, averaging 1000 ft thick, that have a speed of less than 10 kt. These layers seem to have no traceable continuity in time or space. There is evidence of significant inertial influence on winds of less than 10 kt. Two sets of data were obtained from radiosondes with extended power supplies carried on large plastic balloons that made slow ascents and descents through this region of the atmosphere. The success of these ventures supports the concept of using free-floating and tethered balloons as hovering or station-keeping vehicles. (Author).

The document covers a series of papers given at the fifth AFCRL scientific balloon symposium. The subjects were selected to cover the most recent developments in balloon technology and examples of the use of balloons for research purposes. The symposium is intended to provide an exchange of information for the developers of balloon systems and provides an excellent opportunity for scientists to discuss potential balloon capabilities and applications for the accomplishment of scientific programs. Balloon technology presentations included recent material investigations, tandem balloon stress analysis, balloon instrumentation, tethered balloons, cryoinflation feasibility studies and proposed launching techniques for large balloon systems.

The annotated bibliography has evolved from an informal compilation prepared in response to many requests from military and civilian researchers who were planning balloon-borne experiments and searching for data or detailed information concerning some specific aspects of modern scientific ballooning operations. The bibliography consists of three parts: a subject index, an author index, and the bibliography with annotations.