Applications of Aerosondes in the Arctic

Abstract

he U.S. Arctic remains one of the most difficult places on Earth for year-round scientific observations and research. Logistical support is very expensive, and scientists frequently face dangerous, cold sea-ice dynamics, aircraft icing-even polar bears. While satellites can obtain data in remote regions, their application to many arctic environmental problems is hampered by persistent cloudiness and the complexity of the underlying snow/ice surface.