Tata Institute of Fundamental Research is releasing weather balloons to study pollution

The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) has a balloon facility in Hyderabad dedicated to studying the atmosphere. According to a report in The Hindu, the Balloon research facility has scheduled 10 balloon flights from November 15, 2016 to April 13, 2017. The Department of Atomic Energy and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are working with the TIFR scientists for the series of launches. The balloons range from 50 metres to 80 metres in height, and will be launched between 9:30 pm to 6:30 am. The timings of the launches are to take advantage of lower ambient temperatures, which is more conducive for balloon flights. Scientific instruments on board will conduct tests. Studying pollution is one of the objectives of the balloon launches, according to a report in the Hindustan Times. After the tests are conducted, the balloons will drift back towards the earth, and impact wherever the wind takes them. The boxes containing the intruments have addresses printed on them, and TIFR has requested anyone who finds these balloons to contact TIFR or get in touch with local authorities. There is a reward for the safe return of each scientific payload. The data is stored on the scientific payload itself, without a remote connection, so the observations may be lost of the instruments are tampered with.