SHILLONG: Hydrogen balloons weighing 800 grammes each will be released next week by the Upper Shillong Meteorological Department to assess the upper atmospheric condition.
Sanjay Bist, Director of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Shillong, informed that the balloons will be installed on September 13 and 14 and the first will be released either on September 14 or 15.
As part of the upgradation of the meteorological centre, upper air observation will be made by releasing the balloons into the sky.
The observation will include wind speed and upper temperatures till 30 kilometers which will be helpful to the aviation sector.
The installation was scheduled for August but was delayed.
The balloons will be released twice – in the morning and in the evening. Radio signals will be beamed from the balloons and analysis will be done by a computer at the Upper Shillong Observatory.
As IMD is currently carrying out only ground observation, Shillong will be the third place in the North East to have this facility.
