Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T06:55:38.492Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A change in the calculated impact of supersonic aircraft NOx emissions on the atmosphere

Part of: Sustainable Aerospace

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2016

O. Dessens ,
H. L. Rogers  and
J. A. Pyle
O. Dessens
Affiliation:
Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Cambridge Cambridge, UK
H. L. Rogers
Affiliation:
Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Cambridge Cambridge, UK
J. A. Pyle
Affiliation:
Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Cambridge Cambridge, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

New model calculations suggest that the potential impact on the atmosphere of a future fleet of supersonic aircraft, for the year 2015, is highly dependent upon the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted from the fleet. This result contrasts with the IPCC assessment which suggested that the impact of supersonic aircraft on the atmosphere was primarily through the role of water vapour emissions both on atmospheric ozone and climate change. These new findings are extremely important for atmospheric scientists, the aviation industry and policy makers, highlighting the importance of further development of low NOx combustors for supersonic aircraft, an aspect which has been largely ignored following the IPCC Special Report.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 111 , Issue 1119 , May 2007 , pp. 311 - 314
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2007 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Special Report: Aviation and the global atmosphere. intergovernmental panel on climate change rep. No 8, World meteorological organisation and United Nations Environment Programme, Cambridge University Press, UK, 1999.Google Scholar
2. Crutzen, P.J., SSTs: a threat to the Earth’s ozone shield. Ambio, 1, pp 41–51, 1972.Google Scholar
3. Johnston, H.S., Reduction of stratospheric ozone by nitrogen dioxide catalysts from supersonic transport exhaust. Science, 173, pp 517–522, 1971.Google Scholar
4. Chipperfield, M.P., Multiannual simulations with a three-dimensional chemical transport model. J Geophys Res, 1999, 104, pp 1781–1805.Google Scholar
5. Rogers, H.L., Chipperfield, M.P., Bekki, S. and Pyle, J.A., The effects of future supersonic aircraft on stratospheric chemistry modeled with varying meteorology, J Geophys Res, 2000, 105, pp 29359–29367.Google Scholar
6. Baughcum, S.L., Sutku, D.J. Jr. and Henderson, S.C. Year 2015 aircraft emissions scenario for scheduled air traffic Contractor Rep No 207638, NASA Langley Research Center, 1998.Google Scholar
7. Scientific assessment of ozone depletion: 1991 Rep No 25, World Meteorological Organization, Geneva, Switzland, 1992.Google Scholar
8. Brown, S., Talukdar, R. and Ravishankara, A., Rate constants for the reaction OH + NO2 + M → HNO3 + M under atmospheric conditions, Chem Phys Lett, 1999, 299, 277–284.Google Scholar
9. Brown, S., Talukdar, R. and Ravishankara, A., Reconsideration of the rate constants for the reaction of hydroxyl radical with nitric acid, J Phys Chem A, 1999, 103, 3031–3037.Google Scholar
10. Gierczak, T., Burkholder, J.B. and Ravishankara, A., Temperature dépendent rate coefficient for the reaction O(3P) + NO2 −> NO + O2, J Phys Chem A, 1999, 103, 877–883.+NO+++O2,+J+Phys+Chem+A,+1999,+103,+877–883.>Google Scholar
11. Dessens, O., Rogers, H.L., Grewe, V., Pitari, G., Isaksen, I.S.A., Marizy, C. and Pyle, J., Emissions of water vapour from a supersonic fleet: impact on the UTLS, Proceeding of Water Vapour in the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere Workshop, 2005, NERC, pp 61–63.Google Scholar