Abstract: An air control system and method using air in an upper zone of the atmosphere are disclosed. An air control system using air in an upper zone of the atmosphere includes: a floating body 11 provided to stay in the upper zone of the atmosphere; air transporting pipes 15a and 15b interlocked with the floating body 11 to transport air in the upper zone of the atmosphere; blowers 22a and 22b mounted below the air transporting pipe 15a and 15b; and an air transporting controller 18 controlling an operation of the blowers 22a and 22b. According to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to implement functions such as cooling, drying, and purifying of the surrounding air, removing mist, or generating clouds through the transport of dry and low-temperature clean air in the upper zone of the atmosphere with a simple structure.

Abstract: An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a balloon venting system. The balloon venting system includes a clamp. The clamp is to clamp to the balloon so as to bear a mechanical load away from an opening in the balloon. The balloon venting system includes a fluidic channel that is coupled to the opening in the balloon. The opening in the balloon is not located at the bottom of the balloon. The balloon venting system includes an electro-mechanical device that is mechanically coupled to a valve. The electro-mechanical device is to drive the valve to open the channel so that gas within the balloon escapes the balloon when the valve is open and to close the channel so that gas remains within the balloon when the valve is closed.

Abstract: Disclosed is an atmospheric information network comprised of a group of low earth orbit satellite-based sensors providing global coverage of the earth, together with one or more ground-based sensor networks, together with one or more mobile sensor networks, all operating to collect near-real-time or real-time data, together with data gathering from other governmental and commercial atmospheric data sources, together with software algorithms and processes for data reduction, data analysis, correlation of information, data fusion, modeling, reporting of near-real-time or real-time atmospheric conditions of air pollution and wind, and prediction of future atmospheric conditions of air pollution and wind. Such information is presented in geospatial and infographic formats on computer or mobile device displays, or electronic billboards.

Abstract: A system enabling safe manned and unmanned operations at extremely high altitudes (above 70,000 feet). The system utilizes a balloon launch system and parachute and/or parafoil recovery.

Abstract: An autonomous drone is programed with the geo-location of one or more remote sensors, and the autonomous drone then flies to each of the remote sensors to acquire a most recent sensing data record, and then return to a base where the most recent data record for each remote sensor can be transferred to a computing system. Upon arriving at the location of each remote sensor, the drone causes the remote sensor to activate a local area radio transceiver so that a communication link can be established between the drone and the remote sensor.

Abstract: Anemometer for independently measuring wind speed and direction in fluid medium. A second anemometer portion has at least one attribute resulting in different wind resistance in fluid medium than a first anemometer portion, such as a different: mass, shape, density, specific gravity, drag coefficient and/or freedom of motion. Different wind resistance causes inclination of anemometer when deployed to fall autonomously along a trajectory of fluid medium, where anemometer drag coefficient curtails initial ballistic trajectory such that anemometer enters free-fall descent after deployment. Anemometer includes inclinometer to obtain inclination measurements, and memory/transmitter to store/transmit inclination measurements. Local wind direction/speed is determined from inclination measurements based on direction/degree of anemometer inclination in correlation with measurement timings. Anemometer may be deployed from moving airborne platform.

Abstract: An atmosphere sampling system includes: an unmanned rotary-wing aircraft platform including: an airframe capable of lifting a selected payload mass; at least one motorized rotor; and, a flight control system including an on-board controller; an atmosphere sampling unit having a total mass no greater than the selected payload mass, and including: a blower preferably having backward-facing blades, an inlet structure to draw in air to be sampled, and an outlet to discharge air after sampling; a plurality of sample containers; and, an indexing mechanism to move selected sample containers, one at a time, into contact with the inlet structure so that samples may be collected; and, a power supply with sufficient capacity to operate the motorized rotor(s), the onboard portion of the flight controller, the blower, and the indexing system.

Abstract: A canister for housing a balloon and a radiosonde to be released into the atmosphere includes a case, a balloon detaching mechanism, and a gas passage. The case includes first to third housing chambers arranged side by side in a horizontal direction. The first to third housing chambers are in communication with one another in an upper part of the case. The balloon detaching mechanism is connected to the balloon and is configured to detach the balloon when the balloon is released. The gas passage introduces a gas into the balloon to inflate the balloon. The balloon detaching mechanism and the gas passage are housed in the second housing chamber disposed between the first housing chamber and the third housing chamber. The first housing chamber houses the radiosonde connected to the balloon via a rope. The third housing chamber houses part of the balloon connected to the balloon detaching mechanism.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle may be used to mark airborne material in a plume. The unmanned aerial vehicle may store a macroscopic and/or microscopic tracer material. A sensor and/or control unit may detect a substance of interest in a plume. The sensor may be configured to detect multiple different substances sharing a particular characteristic. The unmanned aerial vehicle may be piloted along a gradient of increasing concentration of the substance of interest. The tracer material may be ejected into the plume. The tracer material may be configured to react and/or interact with the substance of interest. The unmanned aerial vehicle may be piloted a predetermined distance from the plume after the tracer material has been ejected. Additional and/or different tracer material may be ejected into the plume if it is determined from measurements that ejecting additional tracer material would be beneficial.

Abstract: A device for permanently maintaining the altitude of a payload the altitude-maintenance energy source of which is practically permanent and extracted from the medium includes at least two gliding bodies connected together by at least one physical link and being, in use, at different altitudes relative to the ground and for which the instantaneous winds have, practically permanently, different characteristics, and further includes a system for controlling the respective attitudes of these two bodies.

Abstract: An atmospheric correction system (ACS) is proposed, which accounts for the errors resulting from the in-homogeneities in the operational atmosphere along the slant path by constructing atmospheric profiles from the data along the actual target to sensor slant-range path. The ACS generates a slant-range path based on the arbitrary geometry that models the sensor to target relationship. This path takes the atmosphere and obstructions between the two endpoints into account when determining the atmospheric profile. The ACS uses assimilation to incorporate weather data from multiple sources and constructs an atmospheric profile from the best available data. The ACS allows the user to take advantage of variable weather and information along the path that can lead to increased accuracy in the derived atmospheric compensation value.

Abstract: An airborne deployment system and method for deploying an object designed. for a waterborne task. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has an object such as an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) releasably coupled thereto. The UAV is guided to a target site on a body of water in accordance with navigation. rules predicated on navigation capability of the UAV. The UUV Is released from the UAV at a location that is one of in the air and on the water in accordance with release rules predicated on the navigation capability of UAV.

Abstract: The present invention can be made more lightweight even if a dry cell is used as a power source battery, can supply a necessary voltage at a battery capacity corresponding to an observation time, and can generate a predetermined electromotive force even in extremely low-temperature environments, This radiosonde power source device supplies driving electrical power to an apparatus tor processing and transmitting observation information resulting from, observing meteorological phenomena of the upper atmosphere, and has; a dry cell such as a lithium battery having a rated voltage lower than the driving voltage of the apparatus; and one or more step-up power source circuits that step-up the voltage of the dry cell to a predetermined voltage.

Abstract: Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) collect and transmit information about ice floe thickness; this is combined with SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR images from satellites to identify and track dangerously thick regions of ice. The overlayed data is presented graphically to allow tracking of the thick ice regions over time. This information is used to alert drilling platforms in icy ocean conditions of pending ice floe dangers.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a high ballistic coefficient wind sonde device and a method of determining wind speed and wind direction measurements relative to altitude with a high velocity wind sonde device. The device includes a streamlined body including a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis, and an internal cavity. A tail extension includes a first end that is connected to the body second end and a second end, wherein the tail extends along the longitudinal axis of the streamlined body. At least one pair of oppositely extending fins are mounted to the tail adjacent its second end. An electronic assembly is located in the internal cavity for generating wind and altitude data. A transmitting antenna is mounted to at least one of the body and the tail for transmitting the wind and altitude data generated by the electronic assembly.

Abstract: This invention relates to a thermal hydrogen generator and a process and system for generating hydrogen gas, more specifically to a process and system for generating hydrogen gas by thermally decomposing a metal hydride.

Abstract: A man packable, portable sounding kit includes, in one example, at least two balloons and at least two radiosondes each including a tether for connecting a radiosonde to a balloon. A gas container includes gas for inflating the at least two balloons. A fill hose assembly includes a balloon inflation nozzle coupled to a pressure regulator. A data transceiver unit is configured to receive and optionally to rebroadcast atmospheric weather data from the radiosonde. A case houses the balloons, radiosondes, data transceiver unit, gas container, and fill hose assembly.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for autonomous or remote-controlled operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAVs”). An integrated mechanical and electrical system is capable of launching, controlling, snagging, recovering, securing, parking, and servicing UAVs without human intervention at the site of the system. The illustrative embodiment comprises a boom and a container that houses the boom and UAV(s). The boom rotates about its longitudinal axis to operationally orient a plurality of faces thereof. Each face is associated with certain system operations, including but not limited to: launching a UAV, snagging a UAV from the air, and securing a UAV to the boom.

Abstract: An instrument for obtaining airborne measurements of cloud microphysical parameters. The instrument comprises supporting arms mounted thereon, optics and a detector for measuring the cloud microphysical parameters The supporting arms define an optical path of the instrument and comprise probe tips affixed thereto. The probe tips comprise an outer portion for deflecting particles away from the optical path of the instrument and an inner portion opposite the outer portion. The outer portion of the tips have a pyramidal section with a centre ridgeline and flat or concave surfaces effective to reduce water shedding and particle shattering during in-flight collection of data.

Abstract: A method for obtaining weather related information for a portion of the Earth's atmosphere between a mobile platform traversing over a predetermined surface portion of the Earth, and at least one satellite from a satellite constellation. The method involves modifying at least one satellite from the constellation of satellites to include time and location information in wireless signals that are transmitted in real time by the one satellite. The mobile platform receives the wireless signals from the one satellite. An occultation system carried on the mobile platform analyzes the time and position information, in addition to location information pertaining to a real time location of the mobile platform, and to derive real time atmospheric weather related information for a geographic area between the mobile platform and the one satellite.

Abstract: A method for characterizing a state of a planetary atmosphere or of a part of the atmosphere, especially of the ionosphere of the earth includes determining values of an ionization state, especially of an electron density and/or of an electron content, in the atmosphere or in the part of the atmosphere as a function of a location variable and as a function of a time variable and determining at least one characteristic quantity for the atmosphere or the part of the atmosphere. The characteristic quantity is determined on the basis of the values of the ionization state found for the atmosphere or the part of the atmosphere.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for characterizing atmospheric refractivity and its evolution in time and space utilizing passive radiation emission measurement devices are disclosed. Based on an instrument such as a passive microwave radiometer, ancillary meteorological measurements and other information and observations, the apparatus and methods provide useful signatures for characterizing atmospheric refractivity. The system can observe to any vector in the sky, giving directional as well as zenithal measurements of the refractivity profile, its spatial and temporal gradients, and the spatial and temporal trending of the profile and its gradients.

Abstract: A sound intensity prediction system predicts the sound intensity created from a noise event and determines, on a three-dimensional basis taking into account cross winds and a moving noise source, the concentration of acoustic ray end points on land to indicate areas of noise intensification zones and where acoustic rays never touch down to indicate areas of quiet.

Abstract: A weather forecasting apparatus, which is capable of accurately forecasting local atmospheric phenomena, has a vibration sensor attached to a tree for measuring an arboreal sound propagated through the tree. A voltage outputted from the vibration sensor depending on the measured arboreal sound is sent via an arboreal sound observing device to a data processing device. The data processing device includes a forecasting processor which determines the start or end of a rainfall based on the magnitude of the voltage, i.e., a sound pressure level corresponding to the magnitude of the sound pressure of the arboreal sound. When the sound pressure level rises, the forecasting processor determines the end of a rainfall, and when the sound pressure level drops, the forecasting processor determines the start of a rainfall. There is also disclosed a snowfall forecasting apparatus capable of accurately forecasting a local snowfall.

Abstract: The structure constant, Cn2, for optical index of refraction fluctuations is the key to the design of adaptive optical systems that minimize the effects of turbulence on laser beam propagation. This invention uses our model, which converts standard radiosonde data into Cn2 profiles. The results are compared to directly measured in situ values of Cn2 obtained by means of balloon borne thermosondes.