Photometric observations of local rocket/atmosphere interactions
Abstract
Photometric measurements from rocket flights which recorded a strong foreign luminance in the altitude region between 90 and 130 km are reported. From one Nike-Orion rocket the luminance appeared on both up-leg and down-leg; from a series of Petrel rockets the luminance was apparent only on the down-leg. The data suggest that the luminance may be distributed mainly in the wake region along the rocket trajectory. The luminance is believed to be due to a local interaction between the rocket and the atmosphere although the precise nature of the interaction is unknown. It was measured at wavelengths ranging from 275 nm to 1.61 microns and may be caused by a combination of reactions.
- Publication:
-
European Rocket and Balloon Programmes and Related Research
- Pub Date:
- June 1983
- Bibcode:
- 1983ESASP.183..341G
- Keywords:
-
- Atmospheric Effects;
- Chemiluminescence;
- Luminance;
- Nightglow;
- Photometry;
- Rocket Exhaust;
- Atmospheric Sounding;
- Contamination;
- Lower Atmosphere;
- Monatomic Gases;
- Nike Rocket Vehicles;
- Outgassing;
- Petrel Sounding Rocket;
- Geophysics