A dynamical-chemical model of wave-driven fluctuations in the OH nightglow

Journal Article · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA092iA02p01241· OSTI ID:5399169

Walterscheid, R L; Schubert, G; Straus, J M ^[1]

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1. Aerospace Corp., Los Angeles, CA (United States)

Wave-induced temporal fluctuations in the intensity of the OH nightglow are related to the temperature oscillations of the wave field by a model that incorporates a five-reaction photochemical scheme and the complete dynamics of linearized acoustic-gravity waves in an isothermal, motionless atmosphere. The intensity I and rotational temperature T oscillations, {delta}I and {delta}T, are conveniently related by the ratio {eta} {triple bond} ({delta}I/{bar I})({delta}T/{bar T}), where the overbar refers to time-averages quantities. The ratio {eta} is a complex quantity that depends on the properties of the basic state atmosphere (temperature, thermodynamic parameters, major constituent O{sub 2}, N{sub 2} and minor constituent O, O{sub 3}, OH, H, HO{sub 2} concentrations, and scale heights), chemical reaction rate constants, wave period, horizontal wavelength, and direction of wave energy propagation (upward or downward). The intensity-temperature oscillation ratio {eta} is evaluated for a nominal case corresponding to an altitude of about 83 km in a nightside model atmosphere with an atomic oxygen scale height of {minus}2.8 km; horizontal wavelength {lambda}{sub x} is 100 km, and wave energy propagation is upward. Over a broad range of acoustic periods {vert bar}{eta}{vert bar} varies between 7 and 8, and {eta} is approximately in phase with the temperature fluctuations. At gravity wave periods, {vert bar}{eta}{vert bar} decreases with increasing period from a maximum value of about 7.0; at a period of about 3 hours, {vert bar}{eta}{vert bar} is about 1.8. The phase of {eta} and {delta}T are within 45{degree} in the gravity wave regime. The main effect of order of magnitude changes in {lambda}{sub x} is the modification of the location and width (in period) of evanescent regions.

• OSTI ID: 5399169
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 92:A2; ISSN JGREA; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661320* -- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AIRGLOW
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DYNAMICS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELEMENTS
EVALUATION
FLUCTUATIONS
GRAVITY WAVES
HYDROXYL RADICALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICS
MESOSPHERE
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
PHOTOCHEMISTRY
RADICALS
VARIATIONS
WAVE PROPAGATION