Accession Number:

AD0760793

Title:

Hydrocarbon Chemistry and Chemiluminescence in High Altitude Plumes

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

PHYSICAL DYNAMICS INC DETROIT MI

Personal Author(s):

• Kummler, R. H.
• Fisher, E. R.
• Boynton, F. P.

Report Date:

1973-04-01

Pagination or Media Count:

76.0

Abstract:

A plausible simplified mechanism for the oxidation of hydrocarbons under conditions germane to high altitude plumes has been outlined. It was found that in the low pressure, high oxygen atom environment above 100 km, a sequence of bimolecular reactions leading to both IR and UV light emission can be initiated by the oxygen atom attack on secondary hydrogens in saturated hydrocarbons containing more than three carbon atoms as well as by O and OH attack on the unsaturated hydrocarbons which may be present initially or produced in the sequence. A specific set of prototype reactions with rate constants is recommended for the basic chemistry on the basis of an extensive review of the current literature a model is provided for IR chemiluminescence which follows the main mechanism and a UV perturbation mechanism based upon the presence of acetylene is suggested.

Descriptors:

• *CHEMILUMINESCENCE
• *UPPER ATMOSPHERE
• ALKENES
• ATOMS
• EXHAUST GASES
• FREE RADICALS
• HYDROCARBONS
• INFRARED RADIATION
• OXYGEN
• REACTION KINETICS
• ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION

Subject Categories:

• Atmospheric Physics
• Physical Chemistry

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE