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From: cain@geomag.gly.fsu.edu (Joe Cain)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.geo.meteorology,sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Solid-fuel Rockets and Ozone
Summary: ask for quantitative input on atmospheric effects
Keywords: shuttle ozone rocket solid-fuel nitrous Altzheimer
Message-ID: <1991Jun26.112308.12186@mailer.cc.fsu.edu>
Date: 26 Jun 91 11:23:08 GMT
References: <1991Jun25.192324.22019@uvm.edu>
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In article <1991Jun25.192324.22019@uvm.edu> work@emily.uvm.edu (Steven S. Work 1st) writes:
>  " _NASA space shuttle destroys the ozone layer_
>   Despite all the coverage given to the growing hole in the ozone layer, 
>   little or no attention has been paid to Dr. Helen Caldicott's claim that 
>   the space shuttle is one of the ozone layer's biggest destroyers. According 
>   to Cadicott, 250 tons of hydrochloric acid are released into the air every 
>   time a space shuttle is launched. With each launch, one quarter of 1 
>   percent of the ozone is destroyed. So far, claims Caldicott, the space 
>   shuttle has destroyed 10 percent of the ozone. 
>        In addition, Two Soviet rocket scientists have warned that the solid-
>   fuel rocket boosters used on the shuttle release 187 tons of ozone-
>   destroying chlorine molecules into the atmosphere with every launch, as 
>   well as seven tons of nitrogen (another ozone depleter), 387 tons of carbon 
>   dioxide (a major contributor to the greenhouse effect), and 177 tons of 
>   aluminium oxide (linked to Alzheimer's disease). Other solid-fuel rockets, 
>   such as the U.S. Delta rocket, the U.S. Titan, and the French Ariane V, 
>   also contribute to ozone destruction." 

	My understanding of the ozone problem is that the chemical
interactions only affect the portion of ozone that is below the layer
of production, that is the ozone that would naturally be safe from uv
destruction. Thus it would be impossible to wipe all ozone protection
from uv to the surface due to its rapid formation by sunlight. Ozone
holes would thus only occur in darkness and in the worst case the
bulge in the vertical distribution that frequently forms due to
subsidence at high altitudes would be diminished. Am I the only person
unconcerned about ozone depletion being a danger at mid and low
latitudes? (I also don't worry about global warming)

	I attended the recent international science fair in Orlando
and was educated as to the effect of metallic aluminum on creating
Altzheimers affects in worms (stupid behavior plus concentrations of
aluminum in the equivalent of their brain tissue). From now on we only
use coated aluminum pots in our house! Although I would surmise that
normal ground level exposures would far exceed that thrown out by
rockets, it would be good to have someone put a pencil to it.

	At least a decade ago I witnessed a NASA attempt to suppress a report
written by Art Aiken of Goddard Space Flight Center that estimated
that the one a week Shuttle schedule then proposed would create enough
nitrous oxides to wipe Florida's orange crops. 

	It seems to me that quantitative estimates of the effects of
such gases are in order from unbiased sources. Although I am not
normally paranoid about governmental suppression of facts, the present
administrative climate would seem to caution that one should pay some
attention to plausible warnings, if it is possible to sort them out
from hysterical rantings from those environmentally polarized.

Joseph Cain		cain@geomag.gly.fsu.edu
cain@fsu.bitnet		scri::cain