The Expedition ANT-XXIII/10

Andreas Macke (IFM-GEOMAR)

On 12 April 2007 RV Polarstern will start its transfer from Cape Town to Bremerhaven. The cruise will be used for continuous investigations of atmospheric parameters like composition of aerosol, temperature and humidity profiles, cloud structure and radiation budget as well as trace gas concentrations under a variety of different climatic, meteorological and urban conditions. Parts of the measurements serve as validation for satellite observations of the atmosphere above ocean regions. The following projects will be carried out:

Oxygen anomaly of atmospheric nitrate (NITRATLANTIK).
The work aims at retrieving the isotope composition of nitrates in atmospheric aerosol under different environmental conditions. The scientific background lies in the investigation of oxidation processes in the atmosphere

Trace gas concentrations in the atmosphere (MAXDOAS).
By means of the well established “Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy” DOAS concentrations of the trace gases O₃, SO₂, NO₂, H₂O among others will be measured on a continuous basis. One of the goals of these activities is to validate the SCIAMACHY instrument on board the ESA satellite ENVISAT.
 
Composition of the atmosphere and radiation budget at the atmosphere/ocean intersection (MetOp & MORE)
In the framework of the “Meridional Ocean Radiation Experiment” MORE the state of the atmosphere and its effect on the net radiation budget at the sea surface will be obtained by a combination of a microwave radiometer, ceilometer, full sky imager as well as pyrano- and pyrgeometer. Retrieved temperature- and humidity profiles serve to validate products of the IASI radiometer on board the new European weather satellite MetOp.


On 4 May 2007 RV Polarstern will reach the destination Bremerhaven.