Methodology, Deployment, and Performance of Pico Balloons in Antarctica

Abstract

During the 2022/2023 Antarctic summer, eight pico balloon flights were depolyed from Neumayer Station III (70.6666° S, 8.2667° W), yielding valuable insights into the Antarctic stratospheric wind structure. Pico balloons maintain a lower altitude compared to larger super pressure balloons, floating between 9 to 15 km AMSL. The most impressive flight lasted an astounding 98 days, completing eight circumnavigations of the Southern Hemisphere. Throughout the flights, pico balloons encountered diverse air masses, displaying zonal velocities ranging from −50 to 250 km hr−1 and meridional velocities between ±100 km hr−1 . Total wind speeds observed were extensive, spanning from 2.0 to 270 km hr−1 . An significant finding revealed that lower-flying pico balloons could rise due to convection underneath the flight paths, influenced by high convective available potential energy environments, resulting in changes to the balloons’ float density. Moreover, the flights demonstrated that pico balloons tended to drift further south compared to larger stratospheric balloons, with some balloons reaching up to 8 degrees south of the equator and 2 degrees from the south pole. This article explores the pressure-testing process and deployment techniques for pico balloons, showcasing their transformation from inexpensive party balloons (costing less than 20 dollars) into efficient super pressure balloons. The logistical demands for pico balloon flights were minimal, with a single person transporting all materials for the balloons (excluding lifting gas) to the Antarctic continent in carry-on luggage. The authors aim to promote the application of pico balloons to a wider scientific community by demonstrating their usefulness.