Search for Shuttle-Induced PMCs in SBUV and SBUV/2 Data

Details Search for Shuttle-Induced PMCs in SBUV and SBUV/2 Data Search for Shuttle-Induced PMCs in SBUV and SBUV/2 Data

Dec 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002agufmsa62a0395d&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2002, abstract #SA62A-0395

Physics

0320 Cloud Physics And Chemistry, 0340 Middle Atmosphere: Composition And Chemistry, 3360 Remote Sensing

Scientific paper

It has recently been suggested that the large amount of water vapor deposited in the upper atmosphere by Space Shuttle rocket exhaust leads to the formation of polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) during the days following a launch [Stevens et al., Eos. Trans. AGU, 83(19), Spring Meeting Suppl., Abstract SA21A-05, 2002]. This conclusion is inferred from MAHRSI OH observations during the STS-66 (November 1994) and STS-85 (August 1997) missions. The SBUV and SBUV/2 instruments have made PMC measurements continuously since November 1978. We have examined this database for evidence of anomalous PMCs following Shuttle flights during the period 1985-2001. Daily variations in overall SBUV/2 PMC occurrence frequency can reach a factor of 2 due to natural fluctuations and changes in geographic coverage. We therefore focused on launches occurring near the beginning and end of the nominal Northern Hemisphere PMC season (May 21 - August 31), where typical PMC occurrence frequencies are low. Data for 9 Shuttle launches were examined for evidence of increased PMC frequency and longitudinal clustering. Normal SBUV/2 PMC detections represent only the brightest portion of the overall PMC intensity distribution. We also evaluated the impact of reducing the normal PMC detection threshold to look for fainter PMCs. There is some evidence for increased PMC detections eastward of the United States within 3-5 days following a Shuttle launch. We will present examples of these data.

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