Modeling Solid Rocket Booster Exhaust Plumes in the Stratosphere with SURFACE CHEMKIN.

Abstract

The results of a detailed chemical model of the transient stratospheric chemistry following passage of a large solid rocket booster motor is described. The model is based on SURFACE CHEMKIN, which is a newly developed multiphase chemical kinetic model. The model incorporates 34 chemical species and over 100 gas phase, heterogeneous, and photochemical reactions. The results show that passage of a Titan IV-sized rocket should produce an ozone 'hole' 10 km in diameter at 20 km altitude, and 28 km in diameter at 30 km altitude, lasting from a few hours to a day. The size and persistence of the hole are very sensitive to the rate of dissipation of the rocket plume, which is poorly understood at present.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1995
Accession Number
ADA314354

Entities

People

  • B. B. Brady
  • L. R. Martin

Organizations

  • The Aerospace Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Altitude
  • Aluminum Oxides
  • Booster Rocket Engines
  • Chemical Reaction Properties
  • Chemistry
  • Diameters
  • Dissipation
  • Environment
  • Equations
  • Exhaust Plumes
  • Gases
  • Ozone Depletion
  • Photochemical Reactions
  • Plumes
  • Rockets
  • Stratosphere

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster