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Indian scientists are to fly atleast 10 balloons this month in an effort to study the atmoshpere at high altitudes.
The balloons, made of twin (polythene) plastic films, range between 50 m to 85 m in diameter. The ballloons, filled with hydrogen gas, will carry scientific instruments.
According to B Suneel Kumar, scientist–in–charge, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, the balloons will be launched from the Hyderabad campus between 2000 hrs and 0630 hrs on different dates during the month, under the auspices of the Department of Atomic Energy and the Indian Space Research Organisation.
The balloons, which will carry scientific instruments for research at high altitudes, are expected to reach heights between 17 km and 30 km, depending upon the experiments being undertaken. The instruments will be kept at these heights for periods of up to 10 hours and then will be released from the balloon.
On release, the instruments will descend to the ground on large, coloured parachutes. During ascent and at the ceiling, the balloons would drift in the prevailing winds and, therefore, the instruments may land at points as distant as 200 km to 350 km from Hyderabad.
Incentive for public
According to the TIFR scientist, the balloon drifts will be on the Visakhapatnam-Hyderabad-Sholapur line in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharastra. Normally, the parachute with the instruments suspended under it on a long rope of around 20 mts in length, will come down to the ground in a slow descent.
The institute has announced an incentive to anybody who finds the parachute and instruments and informs the nearest police station, post office or district authorities of its whereabouts. The instruments on board are extremely sensitive and valuable and the information gathered very important. They also warned of danger if opened, as some of the instruments could have high voltage.
Those who inform the authorities would be suitably rewarded and the scientists would be able to collect the instruments and carry out the necessary back-up and analysis in the labs. The balloons could drift and land in Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Medak, Mahaboobnagar, Nalgonda, Warangal, Khammam, Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Adilabad districts of Telangana, the scientist said.
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