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NASA Science News for June 20, 2003

Night Clouds

A series of upcoming rocket launches will create glowing-white
nighttime clouds visible from the eastern seaboard of the United
States. 

June 20, 2003: One night soon, people on the eastern seaboard of the
United States might see some strange clouds in the sky: milky white,
glowing and twisting in the wind. The clouds will be manmade, created
by scientists to study Earth's ionosphere--a layer of our atmosphere
near the edge of space. 

Three rockets launched from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops
Island, Va., will release a chemical called trimethylaluminum (TMA)
into the air 90 km to 175 km above the Atlantic Ocean. TMA burns
spontaneously in the presence of oxygen. The harmless by-products of
this glowing reaction will be visible from coastal Virginia, North
Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, Washington DC, and possibly parts of
lower New York and Pennsylvania. 

The launches will take place between 9:30 pm and 5:00 a.m. on a night
yet to be decided between June 23rd and July 10th. The time and date
depends in part on clear skies at two of three special camera sites
located along the Virginia and North Carolina coasts. 

Members of the public can keep track of the mission by calling the
NASA Wallops Flight Facility launch status line at: 757/824-2050. A
pre-recorded message will be promptly updated when launches begin.
NASA will also have a web site with text updates and live video of
the launches during the mission at http://www.wff.nasa.gov/webcast 

The clouds will allow scientists to monitor winds in the ionosphere,
explains Gregory Earle from the University of Texas in Dallas, the
lead researcher for the project. "They will act as a tracer and allow
us to view the winds at various altitudes over a period of time." 

This is important because of space weather. The ionosphere is a
critical link in the chain of Sun-Earth interactions. Solar flares
and radiation from sunspots break apart molecules and ionize atoms in
Earth's upper atmosphere--this is how the ionosphere is formed. The
ionosphere, in turn, affects such things as radio communications and
Global Positioning System reception on Earth. 

"The data gathered from this project will aid in our understanding of
the relationship between the winds and ionospheric activity," says
Earle. This research may one day lead to better forecasting of space
weather effects on satellites, communications and power systems.

There will be four rockets launched, but only three will release TMA:
the first, second and fourth rockets. The third rocket carries only
scientific instruments. The TMA will be released over the Atlantic
Ocean at altitudes from 56 miles (90 kilometers) to 109 miles (175
kilometers). The clouds will take about four to five minutes to form
after the TMA release and remain visible for approximately 20
minutes. 

There will be about 90 minutes between the launch of the first,
second and third rockets. The third and fourth rockets will be
launched about 10 minutes apart. The actual period between launches
will be decided in real-time as the mission occurs. 

NASA has used TMA for decades as part of rocket studies from sites
worldwide to study the near-space environment. TMA burns slowly and
produces visible light that can be tracked visually and with special
camera equipment. 

The products of the reaction, when TMA is exposed to air or water,
are aluminum oxide, carbon dioxide and water. Aluminum oxides are
commonly used to combat heartburn and to purify drinking water. TMA
poses no threat to the public during preparation on the ground or
during the release in Earth's atmosphere. 

The project is a NASA and multi-university effort. In addition to the
University of Texas, students and personnel from Clemson University
and Utah State University are participating in the mission. 

Credits & Contacts
Authors: A NASA HQ Press release, Dr. Tony Phillips 
Responsible NASA official: Ron Koczor 
Production Editor: Dr. Tony Phillips 
Curator: Bryan Walls 
Media Relations: Steve Roy

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