The Arena Arctica is a modern aircraft hangar and research facility located above the Arctic Circle in Kiruna, Sweden. During the winter of 2002-2003, it served as a base for studies of the Arctic ozone layer conducted by high altitude airplanes from the US and Europe. The nearby Esrange rocket and balloon facility served as a base for US and European high altitude balloon flights. A number of JPL scientists and engineers were involved with both the NASA and European led efforts.

The airplane and balloon launches were coordinated with satellite observations by the NASA SAGE III instrument, the US Naval Research Laboratory POAM III instrument, and the European Space Agency (ESA) ENVISAT suite of instruments.

The focus of these activities is to better define the effect of human activities on the ozone layer. It is clear that industrial emission of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) during the past 2 decades has led to considerable ozone depletion and that the recent worldwide ban on CFC production should lead to an eventual recovery of the ozone layer in 50 to 100 years. The immediate future of the Arctic ozone layer is governed by an interplay of chemistry and climate (long term temperature changes) and it is unclear whether changes in stratospheric climate might effect the near-term recovery of the Arctic ozone layer. Data from this mission will be used by scientists throughout the world to more accurately diagnose and forecast the effect of a variety of human activities on the ozone layer.

This page presents an overview of activities at the Arena Arctica. Please click on a picture for more information.

Click here for more photos of the M55 Geophysica, including a photo showing the initial engine burn.

(Click here for an archived talk on the Arctic Ozone layer.

All photographs herein by Ross J. Salawitch, unless otherwise indicated.