Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 31 January 1975:
Vol. 187. no. 4174, pp. 343 - 346
DOI: 10.1126/science.187.4174.343
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

A Large-Scale Hole in the Ionosphere Caused by the Launch of Skylab

Michael Mendillo 1, Gerald S. Hawkins 2, and John A. Klobuchar 3

1 Department of Astronomy, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
2 Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
3 Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories, Bedford, Massachusetts 01730

A dramatic ionospheric phenomenon, unique in magnitude and in spatial and temporal extent, occurred along the Atlantic Coast of North America after the launch of the NASA Skylab Workshop on 14 May 1973. The effect was a large and rapid decrease in the total number of ionospheric electrons within a distance of 1000 kilometers of the burning engines of the Saturn V launch vehicle. The observations are interpreted in terms of exceptionally enhanced chemical loss rates due to the molecular hydrogen and water vapor contained in the Saturn second-stage exhaust plume.

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)