Vol. 10, issue 12, article # 3

Cheremisin A. A., Granitsky L. V., Myasnikov V. M., Vetchinkin N. V. Investigation into a trace effect of the Space Shuttle Launch on the optical characteristics, ozone, and aerosol of the upper atmosphere by the method of tangent sensing from a board of the Astrophysical Space Station Astron in the ultraviolet region. // Atmospheric and oceanic optics. 1997. V. 10. No. 12. P. 891-895.    PDF
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Abstract:

In this work we represent the results of researches of upper Earth’s atmosphere, including the results of research of the trace influence caused by the «Space Shuttle» launch, carried out by the method of tangent remote sensing in the ultraviolet wavelength range (λ = 280 nm, Δλ = 3 nm) by means of the ultraviolet telescope of the space-born astrophysical station «Аstron».  The height profiles of spectral radiance of an atmospheric limb of the Earth for points along the active trajectory of «Space Shuttle» launch on April 6, 1984 from Canaveral cape were obtained.  The height profiles of spectral radiance, that were obtained before blast-off, are characterized as typical for undisturbed atmospheric conditions.  It is revealed that after the blast-off a rather bright scattering aerosol layer of an anthropogenic origin at heights near 100 km had been formed.  Time of its existence – more than 2 hours 20 minutes after the blust-off. Transverse characteristic length (across the launching path) was more that 900 km. Some reasons that the thickness of the artificial aerosol layer is a few kilometers in height only, as it is a characteristic for noctilucent clouds, are brought in this work.  Appreciable influence of «Space Shuttle» launch on the aerosol scattering characteristics at heights of 65–85 km and on ozone concentration at heights of 55–65 km is not found (characteristic scale of horizontal averaging for a tangent remote sensing is about 103 km).