Date of Award:

5-2015

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Committee Chair(s)

William Doucette

Committee

William Doucette

Committee

Laurie McNeill

Committee

Bruce Bugbee

Abstract

ATK tests the performance of large solid rocket motors (SRMs) at their facility located in Promontory Point, Utah, USA. During these tests, an estimated 1.5 million kg (~3.3 million lbs.) of entrained soil and rocket exhaust are sent skyward in a cloud that can travel as far as 10-12 miles from the test site. As the cloud cools deposition known as Test Fire Soil (TFS) can settle on local crops. Farmers in the area have voiced concerns about the effects of TFS on their crops.

To address the concerns, I looked at the effect of a typical TFS deposition loading (70 g/m2 or ~625 lbs./acre) on young (12 to 54 days from emergence from the soil) corn, alfalfa and winter wheat. I also studied the relationship between the amount of deposition and the impact to these crops. The effect of TFS on the plants was evaluated by comparing the growth, tissue composition, and leaf chlorophyll content of plants exposed to a simulated TFS deposition event relative to those that were not (controls). In a separate study, I also examined the impact of pH and chloride deposited on corn leaves by observing changes in appearance of the leaves and using a meter to measure their chlorophyll content.

The analysis of the plants focused on aluminum and chloride, two of the main byproducts of the SRMs testing that are found in higher concentration in TFS than in the local soil around the test site. Leaves exposed to 70-g/m2 (~625 lbs./acre) of TFS were not impacted compared to plants not treated with TFS. Corn leaves on plants 29 days from emergence exposed to higher TFS loadings of 700 g/m2 (~6,250 lbs./acre) and 3200 g/m2 (~28,500 lbs./acre) had significantly elevated levels of chloride but growth and appearance were not affected. Younger corn leaves, 12 days from emergence, exposed to a 700 g/m2 (~6,250 lbs./acre) TFS loading did not contain higher levels of chloride compared to corn leaves not exposed to TFS. Corn leaves exhibited leaf burns and significantly less chlorophyll was measured in them with a chlorophyll content meter when they were exposed to high and low pH solutions and chloride solutions equivalent to the chloride content of 7 gm2, 70 g/m2, and 700 g/m2 TFS loadings.

Unless a very large amount of deposition falls on a small area, the results of this study indicate SRMs testing can be conducted at the Promontory Point, Utah, USA test site without damage to juvenile (12-54 days from emergence) crops.

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