Evaluation of Ground-Based and Lighter-Than-Air Platforms To Study Atmospheric Phenomena

Atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) are critical to atmospheric dynamics and energy transport and are uniquely observable during solar eclipses due to the rapid shifts in solar radiation. The National Eclipse Ballooning Program (NEBP) provided a campaign throughout the United States that utilized synchronized launches of helium weather balloons carrying radiosondes to study atmospheric phenomena, with a particular focus on eclipse-induced AGWs. The 2024 Oklahoma NEBP campaign team deployed weather balloons at launch sites in Broken Bow and Idabel, Oklahoma. The campaign team in Broken Bow also deployed solar balloons and an infrasound array. This allowed for multi-instrument observations of AGWs and other atmospheric responses. The campaign employed advanced methodologies, including wavelet analysis of radiosonde data and pressure wave detection via infrasound arrays, to investigate AGW propagation and characteristics. This paper presents preliminary findings from the 2024 eclipse, highlighting the interdisciplinary effort to enhance understanding of AGWs and their implications for atmospheric modeling.