Visible light emission excited by interaction of space shuttle exhaust with the atmosphere

Autor:	J. E. Blaha, D. L. A. Rall, Edmond Murad, C. A. Trowbridge, I. L. Kofsky, J. B. Elgin, C. P. Pike, D. J. Knecht, G. Ashley, A. T. Stair, R. A. Viereck, A. Setayesh, L. Twist
Rok vydání:	1990
Předmět:	Spacecraft business.industry Space Shuttle Electromagnetic radiation Spectral line Atmosphere Geophysics Atmosphere of Earth Excited state General Earth and Planetary Sciences Environmental science Light emission Atomic physics business
Zdroj:	Geophysical Research Letters. 17:2205-2208
ISSN:	0094-8276
DOI:	10.1029/gl017i012p02205
Popis:	Ground-based video photography of firings of Space Shuttle Primary Reaction Control System (PRCS) engines show optical emissions extending nearly 4 km form the vehicle after steady state is reached. The total intensity and spatial distribution of these emissions depend on the angle between the spacecraft velocity vector and the engine exhaust axis. Candidate sources for this radiation are reviewed and the conclusion is reached that it is most likely due to vibrationally excited OH, formed by the reaction of fast ambient O atoms and H2O molecules in the exhaust.
Databáze:	OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz:	https://explore.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=doi_________::89bbdf76cbac12481c7489d939ed977f https://doi.org/10.1029/gl017i012p02205 Zobrazit plný text záznamu Plný text