| Warning
The chemicals involved in an ozone sounding can be harmful, and must be handled with proper care. To ensure your working safety, take all the necessary precautions before beginning the preparations for a flight. Read the sensor manuals carefully. Follow the local laboratory work practices, regulations, and waste management guidelines. Use disposable gloves to avoid dust and other contaminants. The gloves must be lint-free and made of artificial fabric or plastic. Note that the RSA411 Ozone Interface Kit does not include gloves. |
Perform the preparations preferably at temperatures between +20 and +30 °C.
Preparing an ozone sounding consists of the following steps. See the sections below for more information.
- Preparations 7 to 3 Days Prior to Release.
- Preparations on the Day of Release.
- Preparations Just Before Release (2 - 0 Hours).
| More detailed preparation instructions are given in GAW Report No. 201 Quality Assurance and Quality Control for Ozonesonde Measurements in GAW Annex A. |
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The ASOPOS panel recommends using the following as sensing solutions: SPC6A: 1.0%, KI, full buffer (STT1.0) DTM: 0.5% KI, half buffer (SST0.5) The recommendation is only meant for new ozone sounding stations. The existing stations that perform long-term measurements must not change their sensing solution type or ECC type. |
The ASOPOS panel recommends recording three different background currents:
- IB0: after 10 minutes of ozone-free air before exposure of ozone.
- IB1: after 10 minutes of ozone-free air after exposure of ozone (5 μA ozone equivalent of 170 - 180 ppbv).
- IB2: at launch site after 10 minutes of ozone-free air.
| IB2 equals to Vaisala IBG = I0, used in Vaisala scripts. |