Deducing composition and incident electron spectra from ground-based auroral optical measurements: A study of auroral red line processes

Journal Article · Sun Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA094iA10p13541· OSTI ID:5150581

Meier, R R ^[1]; Strickland, D J ^[2]; Hecht, J H; Christensen, A B ^[3]

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1. E. O. Hulburt Center for Space Research, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. (USA)
2. Computational Physics, Inc., Annandale, Virginia
3. Space Sciences Laboratory, The Aerospace Corporation, Los Angeles (USA)

We conclude from a study of the production and loss of O({sup 1}{ital D}) in auroras that the traditional'' sources, direct electron impact excitation of atomic oxygen and dissociative recombination of molecular oxygen ions, can account for most of the O I 6300-A emission rate. In a specific application of the model to the comprehensive observation of an auroral event by Sharp et al. (1979), we show that there is no compelling need for the reaction N({sup 2}{ital D})+O{sub 2}{r arrow}NO+O({sup 1}{ital D}). We also present a study of the sensitivity of the red line emission rate to a wide variety of input conditions. {copyright} American Geophysical Union 1989

• OSTI ID: 5150581
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Vol. 94:A10; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAE
ELECTRON SPECTRA
OXYGEN
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CALCULATION METHODS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
ELECTRON PRECIPITATION
EMISSION SPECTRA
OPTICAL EQUIPMENT
RECOMBINATION
CHARGED-PARTICLE PRECIPITATION
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
NONMETALS
SPECTRA
640201* - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena