CRYOGENIC SAMPLER (KFA)

Developed by Max Planck Institute for Aeronomy - UK Department of the Environment

Balloon launched on 9/25/1980, from Centre de Lancement de Ballons CLBA, Aire Sur L'Adour, Landes, France

Purpose of the flight and payload description

The cryosampler is composed by a gold-plated copper finger cooled by liquid nitrogen to 68-73 K which is mounted in a vacuum vessel, pumped by a liquid nitrogen cooled cryoabsorption pump filled with a molecular sieve. Ambient air enters through an orifice located 30 mm below the finger tip which can be opened and closed by a valve. The diameter of the orifice varies in size, to limit the inhaled airflow at any altitude sampled. The cryoabsorption pump maintains a vacuum of better than 0.3 mbar during sampling. Water vapor from a thermally stabilized reservoir is added to the air flow via a stainless steel frit surrounding the orifice. The water vapor condenses on the cold finger and forms a polycristalline ice matrix, which traps all air constituents condensable at 68 K.

Details of the balloon flight

Balloon launched on: 9/25/1980
Launch site: Centre de Lancement de Ballons CLBA, Aire Sur L'Adour, Landes, France  
Balloon launched by: Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon  
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 9/25/1980

Samples were collected at a number of altitudes from 33 km down to 10 km.

External references

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