Size‐resolved particle emission indices in the stratospheric plume of an Athena II rocket

Schmid, Otmar; Reeves, J. M.; Wilson, J. C.; Wiedinmyer, Christine; Brock, C. A.; Toohey, D. W.; Avallone, L. M.; Gates, Amelia M.; Ross, M. N.

doi:10.1029/2002jd002486

Cited by 18 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Data obtained a decade ago to investigate heterogeneous ozone loss on alumina provide some direction, though they are in agreement on the PSD and SMF to within only an order of magnitude [Dentamaro et al, 1999;Dupays et al, 2000, Cziczo et al, 2002Schmidt et al, 2003, Danilin et al, 2003. The most comprehensive efforts have found the EI(SMF) to range from 10 [Brady and Martin, 1995] to 300 [Dupays et al, 2000].…”

Section: Ei Uncertaintiesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Radiative forcing caused by rocket engine emissions

Ross

Sheaffer

2014

Earth's Future

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Space transportation plays an important and growing role in Earth's economic system. Rockets uniquely emit gases and particles directly into the middle and upper atmosphere where exhaust from hundreds of launches accumulates, changing atmospheric radiation patterns. The instantaneous radiative forcing (RF) caused by major rocket engine emissions CO 2 , H 2 O, black carbon (BC), and Al 2 O 3 (alumina) is estimated. Rocket CO 2 and H 2 O emissions do not produce significant RF. BC and alumina emissions, under some scenarios, have the potential to produce significant RF. Absorption of solar flux by BC is likely the main RF source from rocket launches. In a new finding, alumina particles, previously thought to cool the Earth by scattering solar flux back to space, absorb outgoing terrestrial longwave radiation, resulting in net positive RF. With the caveat that BC and alumina microphysics are poorly constrained, we find that the present-day RF from rocket launches equals 16 ± 8 mW m −2 . The relative contributions from BC, alumina, and H 2 O are 70%, 28%, and 2%. respectively. The pace of rocket launches is predicted to grow and space transport RF could become comparable to global aviation RF in coming decades. Improved understanding of rocket emission RF requires more sophisticated modeling and improved data describing particle microphysics.

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Section: Ei Uncertaintiesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Radiative forcing caused by rocket engine emissions

Ross

Sheaffer

2014

Earth's Future

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“…Similar aerosol concentrations have been measured in the stratospheric exhaust plume from a Delta II rocket powered by a combination of solid NH 4 ClO 4 /Al and liquid LOx/kerosene propulsion system [3]. Particle number, size, and composition measurements have been performed in the stratospheric exhaust plume from a small Athena II SRM at less than 30-minute plume age [4]. The plume contained alumina particles with number densities near 10 000 per cm 3 in the size range between 0.004 and 1.2 µm.…”

Section: Aerosol Observations In Rocket Exhaust Plumesmentioning

confidence: 86%

Contrail formation in the tropopause region caused by emissions from an Ariane 5 rocket

Voigt¹,

Schumann²,

Graf³

2016

Progress in Propulsion Physics

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Rockets directly inject water vapor and aerosol into the atmosphere, which promotes the formation of ice clouds in ice supersaturated layers of the atmosphere. Enhanced mesospheric cloud occurrence has frequently been detected near 80-kilometer altitude a few days after rocket launches. Here, unique evidence for cirrus formation in the tropopause region caused by ice nucleation in the exhaust plume from an Ariane 5-ECA rocket is presented. Meteorological reanalysis data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts show significant ice supersaturation at the 100-hectopascal level in the American tropical tropopause region on November 26, 2011. Near 17-kilometer altitudes, the temperatures are below the Schmidt Appleman threshold temperature for rocket condensation trail formation on that day. Immediately after the launch from the Ariane 5-ECA at 18:39 UT (universal time) from Kourou, French Guiana, the formation of a rocket contrail is detected in the high resolution visible channel from the SEVIRI (Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager) on the METEOSAT-9 satellite. The rocket contrail is transported to the south and its dispersion is followed in SEVIRI data for almost 2 h. The ice crystals predominantly nucleated on aluminum oxide particles emitted by the Ariane 5-ECA solid booster and further grow by uptake of water vapor emitted from the cryogenic main stage and entrained from the ice supersaturated ambient atmosphere. After rocket launches, the formation of rocket contrails can be a frequent phenomenon under ice supersaturated conditions. However, at present launch rates, the global climate impact from rocket contrail cirrus in the tropopause region is small.

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“…In addition, the stratospheric exhaust plume of a small Athena II SRM has been probed near 18-kilometer altitude at plume ages between 4 and 26 min [5]. The plume showed high alumina particle abundances near 10,000 per cm 3 in the size range between 0.004 and 1.2 µm.…”

Section: Detection Of Rocket Exhaust Plumes In the Stratospherementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Small particles most in §uence the stratospheric impact of rocket emissions on ozone due to their longer atmospheric lifetime. Hence, ozone loss due to gas phase chlorine chemistry alone may be increased by heterogeneous reactions on SRM alumina particles [5].…”

Section: Detection Of Rocket Exhaust Plumes In the Stratospherementioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of rocket exhaust plumes on atmospheric composition and climate ― an overview

Voigt

Schumann

Graf

et al. 2013

Progress in Propulsion Physics

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Rockets are the only direct anthropogenic emission sources into the upper atmosphere. Gaseous rocket emissions include CO, N 2 , H 2 , H 2 O, and CO 2 , while solid rocket motors (SRM) additionally inject signi¦-cant amounts of aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) particles and gaseous chlorine species into the atmosphere. These emissions strongly perturb local atmospheric trace gas and aerosol distributions. Here, previous aircraft measurements in various rocket exhaust plumes including several large space shuttle launch vehicles are compiled. The observed changes of the lower stratospheric composition in the near ¦eld are summarized. The injection of chlorine species and particles into the stratosphere can lead to ozone loss in rocket exhaust plumes. Local observations are compared with global model simulations of the e¨ects of rocket emissions on stratospheric ozone concentrations. Large uncertainties remain concerning individual ozone loss reaction rates and the impact of small-scale plume e¨ects on global chemistry. Further, remote sensing data from satellite indicate that rocket exhaust plumes regionally increase iron and water vapor concentrations in the mesosphere potentially leading to the formation of mesospheric clouds at 80-to 90-kilometer altitude. These satellite observations are summarized and the rocket emission inventory is compared with other natural and anthropogenic sources to the stratosphere such as volcanism, meteoritic material, and aviation.

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Size‐resolved particle emission indices in the stratospheric plume of an Athena II rocket

Cited by 18 publications

References 27 publications

Radiative forcing caused by rocket engine emissions

Radiative forcing caused by rocket engine emissions

Contrail formation in the tropopause region caused by emissions from an Ariane 5 rocket

Impact of rocket exhaust plumes on atmospheric composition and climate ― an overview

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