Atmospheric Sensing and Observations During The 2024 Total Solar Eclipse

Oklahoma State University was one of 52 teams that studied the 2024 total solar eclipse as part of the NASA Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project (NEBP). Balloons were launched from Broken Bow, OK, which was within the path of totality. This included the launch of two heliotropes, each carrying different payloads. Heliotropes are a type of solar balloon that is designed to float within the lower stratosphere (~20 km) during typical daytime conditions. The first payload included three cameras and sensors for measuring temperature, pressure, humidity, and solar radiation. The primary objective of this payload was to quantify the balloon performance due to the rapid change in solar radiation during the eclipse. The second payload carried two infrasound sensors with different inlet configurations. Infrasound is sound pressure waves at frequencies below the threshold of human hearing (<20 Hz). In the past, ground-based infrasound sensors have detected the surface pressure fluctuations induced by gravity waves produced from the eclipse-induced cooling. Consequently, for the current study, a three-sensor infrasound array was also deployed on the ground within the path of totality. This presentation will discuss the instrumental payloads, launch day operations, and data analysis.