Role of hot oxygen in Venusian ionospheric ion energetics and supersonic antisunward flow
- Knudsen Geophysical Research, Monte Sereno, CA (United States)
The column heating rate of the dayside Venus ionospheric ion gas resulting from transfer of energy from the hot oxygen component of the neutral atmosphere is estimated and found equal to that which, when inserted into ionospheric models at the ionopause, raises the calculated temperature to measured values. The transfer of energy is effected through resonant charge exchange between the relatively cold ionospheric O{sup +} ions and the hot oxygen neutrals. The hot oxygen density in the nightside hemisphere does not appear to play a significant role in the nightside ion energetics. The hot oxygen neutral gas flowing across the terminator from its dayside source to its nightside sink will exchange momentum with the antisunward flowing ionospheric gas. Although the flow rate of hot oxygen can be estimated only crudely, the estimated rate of deposition and absorption is comparable to that produced by the plasma pressure gradient and should be included in numerical studies of the terminator ionospheric wind.
- OSTI ID:
- 5133449
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Vol. 95:A2; ISSN 0148-0227
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
VENUS PLANET
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
CHARGE EXCHANGE
ENERGY TRANSFER
HEATING
OXYGEN
OXYGEN IONS
PLASMA DRIFT
PLASMA PRESSURE
PRESSURE GRADIENTS
CHARGED PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
IONS
NONMETALS
PLANETS
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena