The Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition: Prologue

The Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE) was directed toward the northern polar region to determine the nature of the changes occurring there. This special issue presents the initial scientific results of the AASE, as well as data from other atmospheric experiments and analyses carried out during the Arctic polar winter of 1989. Indeed, the AASE has provided a wealth of new data on the mechanisms that lead to the depletion of polar ozone. In the following sections, the authors provide a brief overview of the AASE, including mission logistics and a summary of key scientific findings. Note that, throughout the text, papers which appear in this issue are referenced by author only.