Chemical Processes in the Space Environment

Abstract

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, incnüfing the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing deta sources, gathering and maintaining the deta needed, end completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington Heedquerters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 222024302, end to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188), Washington, DC 20503. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank)2. REPORT DATE June 1999 REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVEREDScientific, Fina; TITLE AND SUBTITLE Chemical Processes in the Space Environment AUTHOR(S)Skip Williams Dale J. Levandier S. FUNDING NUMBERSContract F19628-94-C-0072 PR 2303 TAG2 WUOR PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)Orion International Technologies 2201 Buena Vista Drive SE Albuquerque, NM 87106 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER SPONSORINGIMONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)AFRL/VSBS (Rainer Dressler) 29 Randolph Rd. Hanscom AFB, MA SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY REPORT NUMBER AFRL-VS-TR-1999-1523 SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 12a. DISTRIBUTION AVAILABILITY STATEMENTApproved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 words/The present report discusses a series of ion-neutral collision experiments conducted in direct collaboration between Orion researchers and USAF customer affiliated sequentially with: PL/WSSI, PL/GPID, PL/GPOS, AFRL/VSBM, AFRL/VSBS. The work addresses hyperthermal chemical processes of importance in the space environment. The reaction between ionospheric ions and water were studied in detail as to the potential source of infrared radiation and ionospheric holes. New experiments were developed to study the reactions of atmospheric ions with metal vapors and to investigate metastable formation in the nonequilibrium environments of supersonic jets. The energy dependence of atmospheric ion + Na charge-transfer reactions were measured using a novel high-temperature octopole for which a US patent was granted. The results were transitioned to a model of atmospheric, meteoric metal layers. The methodology was developed to elucidate molecular ion excited state surface topography using photofragment recoil velocity analysis in an octopole ion guide. SUBJECT TERMS Hyperthermal ion-molecule reactionsPublication (1) is a study on the most important ion-molecule reaction occurring in the contaminant cloud surrounding the space shuttle and, in general, newly launched space vehicles. This paper contributed to an ongoing study that culminated in the development of a model describing charge transfer reactions with water, as described in publication (2]. Some of the principles elucidated in this work, on exothermic charge transfer reactions, are generalized in publication [6].Publications ...