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Path: utzoo!kcarroll
From: kcarroll@utzoo.UUCP (Kieran A. Carroll)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Space Art & Tourists in Space
Message-ID: <3441@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 3-Jan-84 15:36:29 EST
Article-I.D.: utzoo.3441
Posted: Tue Jan  3 15:36:29 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 3-Jan-84 15:36:29 EST
References: <14765@sri-arpa.UUCP>, <795@cvl.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 23

   I hope that Cliff Shaffer was joking when he referred to the artificial
aurora plan as "space pollution".  While the project will be large-scale
in the sense that it will cover a large piece of sky, it will create
a very small number of ions when compared with the number up there already.
   Of course, If This Goes On...conceivably, truly large discharges
of ions in low orbit could start causing problems.  They might
result from the widespread use of ion thrusters for raising satellites
form low to geosynchronous orbits, for example.  A long-term
increase in the ion population could result in brighter nights,
if the aurorae borealis and australis began to approach the equator--
this would make earthbound astronomers unhappy.  Depending on the type
of ion produced, the old fears of reducing the amount of ozone in the
upper atmosphere, thus increasing the flux of ultra-violet solar
radiation at the earth's surface, might be realized.  Further, 
the quality of the vacuum in low-earth orbit could be degraded,
with ions reacting with the glass coverings of photo-electric cells,
and with the optics of high-precision telescopes and spy-satellites
in low orbits.  
   In short, I don't think that we have much to fear at the moment, 
especially from this one project, but we shouldn't be 
>too< complacent...
-Kieran A. Carroll
...decvax!utzoo!kcarroll