Low temperature inversion seen from balloon
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Low temperature inversion seen from balloon

by Konstantinos Kourtidis, Demokritus University of Thrace, Xanthi, Greece

The photo is from a balloon flight carried out to measure ozone and NO2 aloft. The flight started soon after sunrise and lasted for about 2 hours. A temperature inversion is clearly seen in the horizon; pollutants trapped below cause the brownish colour of the air below the inversion. The ballon was at an altitude of about 2 km when this photo was taken; this is probably also the approximate height of the inversion, as it was best seen from this altitude.