Chemiluminescent processes occurring above shuttle surfaces

Details Chemiluminescent processes occurring above shuttle surfaces Chemiluminescent processes occurring above shuttle surfaces

Sep 1986

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1986p%26ss...34..879g&link_type=abstract

Planetary and Space Science, Volume 34, Issue 9, p. 879-887.

Computer Science

7

Scientific paper

The diffuse glow which occurs above surfaces exposed to the ambient atmosphere in low-Earth orbit has become a source of both interest and concern for potential users of space-based observation platforms. Different glow mechanisms are likely to occur above various surfaces under different orbital conditions. In this paper we consider the various chemical mechanisms which could be the source of this glow, including gas-phase and surface-catalyzed chemical reactions. The relevant species concentrations, necessary excitation rates and possible radiant intensities are estimated. For all the reactions considered, highly vibrationally excited NO, OH and CO are likely products. We predict the spectral distributions of the emission from these species using theoretical spectral models and compare them with the observed spectrum of the glow. Our calculations show that, while CO(υ) is not a likely source of the visible glow, high overtones of NO(υ) and possibly also of OH (υ) are consistent with the observed spectra. If this analysis is correct, the surface glow should contain an intense infrared component whose spectral distribution would permit identification of the radiating species, Our aim is to distinguish between the various mechanisms so that remedial steps can be taken in future missions. At present the available data cannot be explained by a single mechanism, although surface-catalytic processes are likely to play a dominant role in low-Earth orbit. These calculations provide the necessary first analytical step toward mechanism identification.

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