Um estudo sobre possíveis perturbações estratosféricas sobre Natal- RN durante o eclipse solar de outubro de 2023

Abstract

Eclipses represent a special opportunity for studying the behavior of Earth's atmosphere under conditions of sudden illumination reduction. Since eclipses propagate faster than the Earth's terminator, such events can have a significant impact on chemical constituents, winds, and temperature, especially at the top of the troposphere and in the lower and middle stratosphere. In this work, results of measurements conducted with stratospheric balloons launched by the Institudo Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais and meteorological balloons launched from the Centro de Lançamento da Barreira do Inferno in the region of Natal-RN, Brazil, during the eclipse, as well as on the day of the eclipse and the days preceding the event, are discussed. Both temperature and ozone showed anomalous variations, with possible signatures of gravity waves detected in the stratospheric temperature field, which are suggested to have been caused by the eclipse. This work discusses the annular eclipse of October 14, 2023, which was observed from various regions in Brazil. The most significant effects were over the state of Rio Grande do Norte, where the eclipse began at 15:29 LT, maximum at 16:45 LT, and ended at 17:13 LT. To monitor this event, two balloons were launched: one containing an ozone sensor and the other equipped with a Vaisala sensor. Additionally, on the previous day, another ozone sensor was launched to serve as a standard, along with two meteorological balloons.