The 630 nm dayglow

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

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA094iA06p06817· OSTI ID:6048710

Solomon, S C ^[1]; Abreu, V J ^[2]

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1. National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (USA)
2. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA)

The daytime thermospheric emission at 630 nm from the ({sup 3}P-{sup 1}D) transition of atomic oxygen is examined using data from the Atmosphere Explorer C and E spacecraft. Observed altitude distributions of the emission rate measured using the Visible Airglow Experiment are compared with those calculated from in situ measurements of ion and neutral densities and temperatures, and from a model of the photon and photoelectron flux. Good agreement is obtained for most orbits with photoelectron impact on O, photodissociation of O{sub 2}, and dissociative recombination of O{sub 2}{sup +} providing most of the production. Implications for some of the controversial points of O({sup 1}D) chemistry, such as the solar EUV and Schumann-Runge continuum flux, the yield of O({sup 1}D) from the reaction of N({sup 2}D) with O{sub f2}, the value of spontaneous transition coefficients, and the rate of quenching by O({sup 3}P) are discussed.

• OSTI ID: 6048710
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA) Vol. 94:A6; ISSN JGREA; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AIRGLOW
ALTITUDE
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
AURORAE
CHEMISTRY
COLLISIONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DISSOCIATION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELEMENTS
IONIZATION
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
PHOTOIONIZATION
RADIATIONS
SOLAR RADIATION
STELLAR RADIATION
THERMOSPHERE