Ozone research goes Dutch
In a span of five years, Dutch sci4ntists R Hoekstra, C Elij and others at the Delft-based Institute of Applied Physics, have developed a spectrometer called the global ozone monitoring experiment (GOME). A spectrometer is a spectroscope equipped with a photoelectric photdAeter to measure radiant intensities at various wavelengths. GOME, is mounted an the European remote sensing satellite - two, which was launched ilito o6it in April, 1995. With the satellite circling the earth 14 times a day,4f rom a height of 780 Ism, the visual range of GOME is around'40 km by 2 km, which helps it chart the earth's entire atmosphere. This suitcase-sized instrument, conducts scans directed downwards from a vertical position and records total column densities (Science Policy, Vol 18, No 1).
The team is currently analysing the data sent in by GOME and Hoekstra, who is cautious about the outcome of the mission says, "We are right in the spotlight now. This will make or break us." But Olij is more confidentof Dutch success. She adds, "Scientists in the US did not keep up with the latest developments", and 14oekstra explains this by saying, "The Netherlands is using technology that is available now, whereas the Americans were successful 20 years ago on the basis of technology that was available to them at that time."