Auroral ionosphere: Comparison of time-dependent model with composition measurements

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1979 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA084iA08p04335· OSTI ID:5910342

Gerard, J; Rusch, D W

A time-dependent model of the auroral ionosphere including the odd nitrogen species, NO, N(/sup 2/D), and N (/sup 4/S), is used for comparison with data from a coordinated rocket-satellite measurement of an auroral event. The chemical scheme and the adopted rate coefficients have been shown to be compatible with daytime mid-latitude ionospheric chemistry. The electron flux and neutral atmospheric parameters measured on the satellite are used to compute the appropriate ionization and dissociation rates. The calculated NO/sup +/, O/sub 2//sup +/, O/sup +/, Ne, and NO densities agree well with the rocket measurements. The calculated N/sub 2//sup +/ densities are larger than the measured densities by a factor of 3 at most altitudes. The calculations show that the nitric oxide content of the aurora (approx.1.2 x 10/sup 9/ NO molecules/cm/sup 3/ at 105 km) is below the saturation value.

• Research Organization: Space Physics Research Laboratory, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
• OSTI ID: 5910342
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Vol. 84:A8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAE
IONIC COMPOSITION
IONOSPHERE
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
DISSOCIATION
MOLECULAR IONS
NEON
NITROGEN
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
OXYGEN IONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
IONS
KINETICS
NONMETALS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
RARE GASES
REACTION KINETICS
640201* - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena