Polar Mesospheric Clouds Formed From Space Shuttle Exhaust

• Main Authors: Stevens, Michael H., Gumbel, Jorg, Englert, Christoph R., Grossmann, Klaus U., Rapp, Markus, Hartogh, Paul
• Other Authors: NAVAL RESEARCH LAB WASHINGTON DC E O HULBURT CENTER FOR SPACE RESEARCH
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2003
• Subjects: Atmospheric Physics; Combustion and Ignition; Manned Spacecraft; *CLOUDS; *SPACE SHUTTLES; *EXHAUST PLUMES; *MESOSPHERE; WATER VAPOR; DESCENT; LAUNCHING; SATELLITE IMAGERY; ICE FORMATION; REPRINTS; TRANSPORT; *POLAR MESOSPHERIC CLOUDS; PMC(POLAR MESOSPHERIC CLOUD); ARCTIC DESCENT; Arctic
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA524810; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA524810

We observe a plume of water vapor in the Arctic above 85 km and a day after an August shuttle launch. Our satellite observations reveal that a discrete region of polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) appears a week after that launch. We calculate that the water contained in the observed PMCs is consistent with the amount injected by the shuttle. This is evidence for a source of PMCs not previously considered. Published in Geophysical Research Letters, v30 n10 p53-1 through 4, 2003.