White paper by:  Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany  Paul-Scherrer Institute, Villingen, Switzerland  Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Germany  Max-Planck Institut für Chemie, Mainz, Germany  Institut für Troposphärenforschung, Leipzig, Germany  Energy research Centre of the Netherlands, Petten, Netherlands  Universität Heidelberg, Germany  Universität zu Köln, Germany  University of Leicester, UK  University of Manchester, UK

Abstract
The goal of the proposal is to investigate the oxidation of anthropogenic and biogenic emissions, as well as the formation of ozone and secondary aerosols, including the chemical aging of the aerosol phase, in an innovative setup. It will be comprised of a regional pseudo-Lagrangian field experiment using a Zeppelin as a novel platform for in-situ sensing measurements in the planetary boundary layer. Fast detection of free radicals, volatile organic compounds and aerosols will be combined with a comprehensive chemical and meteorological characterisation in the plume downwind of a large city. The experiment will improve our understanding of the chemical processing and the transport of pollutants from their source regions into the atmosphere. The experiment will also strengthen the European lead role in tropospheric research by establishing the Zeppelin NT as a new, unique platform to explore the planetary boundary layer and its role in atmospheric chemistry and physics. Other possible future missions comprise, for example, the investigations of convective transport and cloud formation in the lower atmosphere, or the quantification of local and regional fluxes of climatically relevant water vapour and carbon compounds above land ecosystems.

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 Zeppelin-NT_Measurement-Platform.pdf (~8,5 MB)

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 Zeppelin NT