Deducing composition and incident electron spectra from ground-based auroral optical measurements: Variations in oxygen density

Journal Article · Sun Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA094iA10p13553· OSTI ID:5178961

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

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

Ground-based optical observations have been made of the N{sup +}{sub 2} (4278 A), O I (6300 A), O I (7774 A), and O I (8446 A) auroral emissions. Data were collected on 12 nights from 1984 to 1986 at observatories in the auroral zone and were analyzed using the Strickland et al. (this issue) aurroal electron impact excitation model results. It was found that during quiet geomagnetic conditions these data were consistent with O densities, at altitudes from 110 to 200 km, less than one-half the densities given in the Jacchia 1977 or MSIS 1983 models. During highly disturbed periods such as during the great February 1986 storm, where {ital Ap} reached 202, the O density decreased an additional factor of 8. During the same storm the O{sub 2} density increased by less than a factor of 2 from its quiet value. These data also imply that the decrease in the O density is larger at higher altitudes during disturbed periods, in qualitative agreement with the heating model of Hays et al. (1973). {copyright} American Geophysical Union 1989

• OSTI ID: 5178961
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA) Vol. 94:A10; ISSN 0148-0227; 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
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
AURORAE
CHEMISTRY
DAILY VARIATIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON SPECTRA
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
OPTICAL EQUIPMENT
OXYGEN
SPECTRA
THERMOSPHERE
VARIATIONS