Global Monitoring Division - ESRL-GMD This story entered on 18th
Jul, 2007 10:24:29 AM PST The tropics provide the major “pump”
for the heat balance of the earth’s atmosphere. The coupling of
clouds and climate in the tropical troposphere is not well
understood. Identifying the key processes in this region is
essential for progress on important issues such as global
climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, and global
tropospheric chemistry. NOAA/ESRL and Cooperative Institute for
Research in Environmental Science (CIRES), University of
Colorado (CU) scientists are conducting atmospheric observations
from high altitude aircraft and balloon platforms in the NASA
Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling Experiment
(TC4). The experiment will be based out of San Jose
International Airport, Costa Rica, July 14 - August 12 during
the rainy season in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean. Test
flights of NOAA instruments flying of the NASA WB-57F aircraft
begin in Houston, Texas, July 2. More information: