Balloon explodes but its data secure

IU’s Atmospheric Science Program reached new heights Wednesday, but not without a little turbulence.

The program teamed IU students with professors from Taylor University who produce studies by releasing high altitude balloons, similar to the common weather balloon. The release at the IU campus marked the first release in Bloomington’s
history.

“We do this because it’s fun,” Taylor professor Don Takehara said. “To have something real in front of you is much more fun to work with.”

Takehara said he and others promote this program because it gives students an opportunity for critical thinking and designing their own experiments. He also said no two launches are the same because of variations in weather, jet stream, atmosphere and more.
 
THE JOURNEY UP
Earth’s atmosphere has four levels: the troposphere, the ozone layer within the stratosphere, the rest of the stratosphere and the mesosphere, in order from closest to farthest from the Earth’s surface. The balloon reached the bottom of the mesosphere, higher than Mount Everest or a jet plane, before it exploded due to low pressure.
 
THE MEASUREMENTS
The balloon carried three cameras as well as several instruments that sent different measurements to Taylor students and professors in real time. Radiation, humidity, temperature and greenhouse gases were among those
measured.
 
THE BIG BOOM
Balloons can expand from about five feet in diameter to up to 40 feet before they explode, Taylor professor Jeff Dailey said. He said the balloon released from Bloomington did this before it exploded, sending the cameras and instruments spiraling back to earth.
 
THE DATA
Much of the data had not yet been processed and converted when the professors discussed the release at a 4 p.m. lecture. They did say, however, that the balloon’s speed reached 130 knots, or about 149.8 mph. The balloon was blown east, though not as far as they had estimated it would go. They expect to release more information later.
 
THE RETRIEVAL
The team responsible for retrieving the fallen equipment found it in a dire situation. At the end of a dead road, the equipment had become tangled and fried on a power line. One piece had actually caught fire. The balloon’s remains were found just south of Wayne County, a little more than two hours northeast of Bloomington. Dailey said they had expected the balloon to land even farther east in Ohio.