Fig. 1: A schematic overview for the measurement of pollution from space.
From: Measurement of a lithium plume from the uncontrolled re-entry of a Falcon 9 rocket
Natural metal layers form in the upper mesosphere due to meteor ablation and are measured by lidar. Additional mass and elements are now being introduced via the burn-up of artificial satellites. This new type of pollution has unknown consequences for the upper atmosphere and ozone layer.
