| The local effects of the emission of a solid-fuelled
rocket on the stratospheric ozone concentration have been investigated by
photochemical model calculations. A one-dimensional horizontal model has been
applied which calculates the trace gas composition at a single atmospheric
altitude spatially resolved around the exhaust plume. Different cases were
tested for the emissions of the Space Shuttle concerning the composition of the
exhaust and the effects of heterogeneous reactions on atmospheric background
aerosol.
The strongest depletion of ozone is achieved when a high
amount of the emitted chlorine is Cl2. If it is purely HCl, the
effect is smallest, though in this case the heterogeneous reactions show their
largest influence. From the results it may be estimated whether ozone depletion
caused by rocket launches can be detected by satellite instruments. It appears
that the chance of coincidental detection of such an event is rather small. |