ABLE-3B Ground Data

ABLE 3A took place in the Arctic and subarctic regions of North America and Greenland, while ABLE 3B took place in the north central and northeastern regions of Canada. ABLE 3 was focused on understanding the “early warning” response of the near-surface, organic, active layer to climate variability with a special emphasis placed on identifying the range of variables which might have a significant influence on the tropospheric O3 budged in the Barrow region.

The ABLE 3 campaigns took place in the summer since the summer is critical to an assessment of the full impact of accumulated winter/spring pollutant loadings. Observations in the summer months could also determine if significant long-range transport and injection of pollutants occur. ABLE 3A took place July-August 1988, and ABLE 3B took place July-August 1990.

To accomplish its objectives, the ABLE 3 science team deployed the NASA Lockheed Electra aircraft on both sub-campaigns. With over 50 total flights, ABLE 3 aimed to utilize the Electra aircraft to take measurements of methane (CH4), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC), acetic acid (HA), formic acid (HFo), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), total “reactive” nitrogen gas (NOy), nitric acid (HNO3), peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), peroxypropionyl nitrate (PPN), ozone (O3), and aerosol chemical composition and size distribution.

Onboard the Electra, airborne UV Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) provided remotely sense data on the two-dimensional distribution of aerosols and O3. The results of ABLE 3 indicate that atmospheric chemical changes in arctic and subarctic regions may serve as unique early warning indicators of global changes.