Superthermal electron processes in the upper atmosphere of Uranus: aurora and electroglow
Strong ultraviolet emissions from the upper atmosphere of Uranus suggest that both auroral and electroglow phenomena are of significant aeronomical consequences in the structure of the upper atmosphere. Combined modeling and data analysis were performed to determine the effect of electroglow and auroral phenomena on the global heat and atomic hydrogen budgets in the Uranus upper atmosphere. The results indicate that the auroral and electroglow heat sources are not adequate to explain the high exospheric temperature observed at Uranus, but that the atomic hydrogen supplied by these processes is more than sufficient to explain the observations. The various superthermal electron distributions modeled have significantly different efficiencies for the various processes such as UV emission, heating, ionization, and atomic hydrogen production, and produce quite different H2 band spectra. However, additional information on the UV spectra and global parameters is needed before modeling can be used to distinguish between the possible mechanisms for electroglow.
- Research Organization:
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Huntsville, AL (USA). George C. Marshall Space Flight Center
- OSTI ID:
- 7088476
- Report Number(s):
- N-88-25417; NASA-TM-101150; NAS-1.15:101150
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
ELECTRON REACTIONS
GLOW DISCHARGES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
URANUS PLANET
AURORAE
ELECTRON PRECIPITATION
EMISSION SPECTRA
HEATING
HYDROGEN
LUMINESCENCE
THEORETICAL DATA
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
ATMOSPHERES
CHARGED-PARTICLE PRECIPITATION
CHARGED-PARTICLE REACTIONS
DATA
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
INFORMATION
LEPTON REACTIONS
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUMERICAL DATA
PLANETS
RADIATIONS
SPECTRA
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena