SCIENCE FILE / An exploration of issues and trends affecting science, medicine and the environment : Report Finds That Emissions From SST Damage Ozone Layer
From Times staff and wire reports
For the first time, researchers have measured the exhaust emissions of the Concorde supersonic transport (SST) in flight and demonstrated that it produces pollutants that can damage the ozone layer. Concern about SST emissions more than 20 years ago triggered studies of the ozone that led to the conclusions that chlorofluorocarbons can do heavy damage, but the SST has been neglected since then.
Plans to create a fleet of SSTs triggered a new look at their exhaust. Researchers from the University of Denver reported in the journal Science that emission of nitrogen oxides closely matched those predicted by computer models, but that the planes emitted a more damaging form of sulfur compounds than had been expected.
