LIGHTNING AND APOLLO 17 SATURN V EXHAUST PLUME Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Survey spectra of the Apollo 17/Saturn V exhaust plume during launch were obtained in the ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared. The plume resembles a blackbody source for about 40 m from the exit plane, and beyond this point the characteristic radiation is the sodium D-lines. The spectral data support previous reports mat the peak exhaust temperature is near 2600 K, which in turn suggests the conductivity in the upper 40 m of plume is in the range 10-7 to 10-4 mho/cm or higher. We examine the implication of these results for the initiation of lightning such as occurred during the launch of Apollo 12. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., 1974, All rights reserved.

published proceedings

  • JOURNAL OF SPACECRAFT AND ROCKETS

author list (cited authors)

  • KRIDER, E. P., NOGGLE, R. C., UMAN, M. A., & ORVILLE, R. E.

citation count

  • 16

complete list of authors

  • KRIDER, EP||NOGGLE, RC||UMAN, MA||ORVILLE, RE

publication date

  • February 1974