The role of vibrationally excited oxygen and nitrogen in the D and E regions of the ionosphere
Item
Title (Dublin Core)
The role of vibrationally excited oxygen and nitrogen in the D and E regions of the ionosphere
Description (Dublin Core)
In this paper we present the results of a study of the effect of vibrationally excited oxygen, O<sup>*</sup><sub>2</sub>, and nitrogen, N<sup>*</sup><sub>2</sub>, on the electron density, <i>N</i><sub>e</sub>, and the electron temperature, <i>T</i><sub>e</sub>, in the D and E regions. The sources of O<sup>*</sup><sub>2</sub> are O-atom recombination, the photodissociation of O<sub>3</sub>, and the reaction of O<sub>3</sub> with O at D region altitudes. The first calculations of O<sup>*</sup><sub>2</sub>( <i>j</i>) number densities, <i>N</i><sub><i>j</i></sub>, are obtained by solving continuity equations for the models of harmonic and anharmonic oscillator energy levels, <i>j</i>=1-22. It is found that day time values of <i>N</i><sub><i>j</i></sub> are less than nighttime values. We also show that the photoionization of O<sup>*</sup><sub>2</sub> ( <i>j</i> ≥ 11) by L<sub>α</sub>-radiation has no influence on the D region <i>N</i><sub><i>e</i></sub>. In the nighttime D region the photoionization O<sup>*</sup><sub>2</sub> ( <i>j</i> ≥ 11) by scattered <i>L</i><sub>α</sub>-radiation can be a new source of O<sup>+</sup><sub>2</sub>. We show that the N<sup>*</sup><sub>2</sub> and O<sup>*</sup><sub>2</sub> de-excitation effect on the electron temperature is small in the E region of the ionosphere and cannot explain experimentally observed higher electron temperatures.
Creator (Dublin Core)
Pavlov, A. V.
Date (Dublin Core)
2018-09-27
Type (Dublin Core)
Text
Format (Dublin Core)
application/pdf
Identifier (Dublin Core)
10.1007/s00585-994-1085-1
https://angeo.copernicus.org/articles/12/1085/1994/
Source (Dublin Core)
eISSN: 1432-0576
Language (Dublin Core)
eng
