Accession Number:

AD0701044

Title:

CLOUD EXPANSION IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE.

Descriptive Note:

Final technical rept.,

Corporate Author:

SPACE RESEARCH INST INC NORTH TROY VT

Personal Author(s):

• Gordon,Stuart A.

Report Date:

1970-01-01

Pagination or Media Count:

73.0

Abstract:

Seven successful flights have been made from Barbados, W.I., using gun-launch techniques. Point-releases of liquids and particles have been made at a nominal 120 km altitude to determine the rate of dispersal of particulate clouds at these altitudes. It has become apparent that at this altitude significant differences exist between point-releases and the more common trail-releases. These differences have been explored and an attempt has been made to relate the observed rate of growth of the luminous cloud, with the known thermodynamics and aerodynamics of the situation. While it was possible to explain point-release behavior in the light of standard physical processes, the trail-production mechanism is not nearly as clear. It proved possible by means of radar and visual observations to determine the rate of spreading of radar chaff and of a fine aluminum slurry whose radial motion was imparted by the vapor-pressure of the release liquid. These rates were slow and uniform and in reasonable agreement with each other. It is concluded that dispersal by an evaporating liquid is a workable technique which produces uniform densities within the cloud. The techniques developed are adequate to measure these densities and spreading rates with good precision. Author

Descriptors:

• (*ATMOSPHERIC SOUNDING
• UPPER ATMOSPHERE)
• (*CLOUDS
• *CONDENSATION TRAILS)
• PARTICLES
• DIFFUSION
• SODIUM COMPOUNDS
• CHEMILUMINESCENCE
• ALUMINUM COMPOUNDS
• ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
• GUN LAUNCHERS
• RADAR TRACKING
• DETECTION
• PAYLOAD

Subject Categories:

• Atmospheric Physics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE