Abstract
Specific optical phenomena observed in the upper atmosphere layers and connected with launches of powerful solid-propellant rockets are considered: the development of spherically symmetric gas-dust formations having the shape of an extending torus in the image plane and the formation of regions with intense blue-green (turquoise) glow observed under twilight conditions along a rocket’s flight path. The development of clouds can be represented by the model of a strong explosion occurring at the stage separation of solid-propellant rockets in the upper atmosphere. A turquoise glow arises as a result of resonance scattering of solar radiation on AlO molecules that are formed when metallic aluminum in the composition of fuel interacts with atmosphere components and combustion products.
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Original Russian Text © Yu.V. Platov, S.A. Chernouss, V.V. Alpatov, 2013, published in Geomagnetizm i Aeronomiya, 2013, Vol. 53, No. 2, pp. 209–214.
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Platov, Y.V., Chernouss, S.A. & Alpatov, V.V. Features of optical phenomena connected with launches of solid-propellant ballistic rockets. Geomagn. Aeron. 53, 198–203 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016793213010155
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016793213010155