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A global modeling study of solid rocket aluminum oxide emission effects on stratospheric ozone
Author(s) -
Jackman Charles H.,
Considine David B.,
Fleming Eric L.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/98gl00403
Subject(s) - ozone , titan (rocket family) , atmospheric sciences , rocket (weapon) , solid fuel rocket , ozone layer , ozone depletion , hydrogen chloride , environmental science , space shuttle , chlorine , aluminum oxide , atmospheric chemistry , aluminium , materials science , meteorology , propellant , astrobiology , chemistry , physics , aerospace engineering , inorganic chemistry , engineering , metallurgy , organic chemistry , astronomy
Recent laboratory measurements [Molina et al. 1997] have indicated that the heterogeneous chlorine activation reaction ClONO 2 +HCl ⟶ HNO 3 +Cl 2 has a reaction probability of about 0.02 on aluminum oxide particles (alumina). Since alumina is among those substances emitted by solid rocket motors (SRMs), we have assessed the heterogeneous chemical impact of SRM‐emitted alumina on stratospheric ozone using the Goddard Space Flight Center two‐dimensional photochemistry and transport model. Historical launch rates of the Space Shuttle, Titan III, and Titan IV rockets were used in time‐dependent and steady‐state model calculations. Variations in the temporal ozone decreases reflected the fluctuation in launch rate frequency. The annually averaged global total ozone (AAGTO) is computed to decrease by 0.025% by the year 1997. About one‐third of this AAGTO change results from the SRM‐emitted alumina while about two‐thirds is due to SRM‐emitted hydrogen chloride.