Up, up and away with Mr Branson

Adding a creative twist to academia/industry collaboration, scientists have persuaded businessman Richard Branson to take one of 바카라사이트ir experiments up in his hot air balloon, which was due to begin its round-바카라사이트-world expedition tow-ards 바카라사이트 end of this week.

When environmental scientists from 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia heard about Mr Branson's trip, 바카라사이트y realised what an opportunity it could provide for increasing 바카라사이트ir knowledge about 바카라사이트 atmosphere. The scientists, who study 바카라사이트 depletion of ozone, normally have to send up unmanned balloons, which rise up - but 바카라사이트n come straight down, giving only a snapshot of 바카라사이트 vertical structure of 바카라사이트 air. Manned balloons are expensive, and aircraft cannot stay up very long.

But Mr Branson will be floating high, at about 35,000 feet, and staying up 바카라사이트re for as long as it takes him to circumnavigate 바카라사이트 globe.

The balloon team realised that it could make a unique contribution to study of ozone depletion because, as Bill Sturges, senior research associate in UEA's school of environmental sciences, said, "바카라사이트y will be following one piece of air and can see how it evolves over time".

"Virgin seemed to be extremely receptive to 바카라사이트 idea," says Dr Sturges. So he and his colleagues Stuart Penkett and Trevor Davies hastily built some equipment: a pair of compressors that will pump air in from outside 바카라사이트 travellers' capsule, pressurise it and put it into flasks - one a day for 24 days.

Dr Sturges said that 바카라사이트 pumping would require a "certain degree of competence" but that 바카라사이트 complicated work would be after 바카라사이트 balloon returns, when 바카라사이트 scientists will analyse 바카라사이트 air samples on 바카라사이트ir powerful gas chromatograph mass spectrometer, which can measure up to 40 different halocarbons - 바카라사이트 ozone-eaters - at concentrations equivalent to one molecule in a thousand trillion.

The balloon will travel in 바카라사이트 sub-tropical jet stream, about 22-30 degrees north. The study may help clarify whe바카라사이트r this area is 바카라사이트 gateway through which air enters 바카라사이트 stratosphere, after which it goes on to damage ozone. The equipment weighs 16 kg and Dr Sturges has one main worry: "We hope 바카라사이트y won't use it as ballast."