Rocket exhaust ground cloud/atmospheric interactions

Abstract

An attempt to identify and minimize the uncertainties and potential inaccuracies of the NASA Multilayer Diffusion Model (MDM) is performed using data from selected Titan 3 launches. The study is based on detailed parametric calculations using the MDM code and a comparative study of several other diffusion models, the NASA measurements, and the MDM. The results are discussed and evaluated. In addition, the physical/chemical processes taking place during the rocket cloud rise are analyzed. The exhaust properties and the deluge water effects are evaluated. A time-dependent model for two aerosol coagulations is developed and documented. Calculations using this model for dry deposition during cloud rise are made. A simple model for calculating physical properties such as temperature and air mass entrainment during cloud rise is also developed and incorporated with the aerosol model.