Analysis of the spatial distribution of dayside cleft optical emissions

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1962 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5019274

Link, R; McConnell, J C; Shepherd, G G

An analysis of measurements of the 4278-A, 5200-A, 5577-A and 6300 A emissions obtained from a rocket launch through the postnoon dayside cleft into the polar cap ionosphere is reported. The 4278-A and 5577-A emission show a clearly defined decrease in intensity at the poleward edge of the dayside particle precipatation, while the 5200-A emission extends well into the polar cap with only a slight decrease in intensity. The 6300-A emission displays a behavior intermediate between these extremes. The optical data are analyzed by using a dynamical model of dayside cleft auroral processes incorporating transport by ion and neutral winds. It is concluded that neutral winds are responsible for modifying the spatial distribution of the 5200-A and 6300-A emission while the ion drift component is negligible. In addition, it is found that (1) 80% of the 4278-A emission intensity is due to resonance fluorescence in the sunlit cleft ionosphere, (2) the reaction O/sub 2/(c/sup 1/..sigma../sub u//sup -/)+O..-->.. O/sub 2/+O(/sup 1/S) is consistent with the 5577-A data if the yield of O(/sup 1/S) from the dissociative recombination of O/sub 2//sup +/ is about 2%, and (3) the rate of the reaction N/sub 2//sup +/+O..-->..NO/sup +/+N is apparently higher in the ionosphere than indicated by the laboratory measurements.

• Research Organization: Centre for Research in Experimental Space Science, York University
• OSTI ID: 5019274
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 88:A12; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION SPECTRA
FLUORESCENCE
ION DRIFT
IONOSPHERE
KINETICS
LUMINESCENCE
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
RADIATIONS
REACTION KINETICS
RESONANCE FLUORESCENCE
SPECTRA
VISIBLE RADIATION
WIND