Equatorial ozone profiles from the solar maximum mission—a comparison with theory

The u.v. spectrometer polarimeter on the Solar Maximum Mission has been utilized to measure mesospheric ozone vs altitude profiles by the technique of solar occultation. Sunset data are presented for 1980, during the fall equinoctal period within ± 20° of the geographic equator. Mean O₃, concentrations are 4.0 × 10¹⁰ cm^?3at 50 km, 1.6 × 10¹⁰ cm^?3 at 55 km. 5.5 × 10⁹ cm^?3 at 60 km and 1.5 × 10⁹ cm^?3 at 65 km. Som profiles exhibit altitude structure which is wavelike. The mean ozone profile is fit best with the results of a time-dependent model if the assumed water vapor mixing ratio employed varies from 6 ppm at 50 km to 2–4 ppm at 65 km.     

Determination of atomic oxygen density from rocket borne measurement of hydroxyl airglow

A rocket experiment was conducted which measured the infrared bands of the excited hydroxyl radical in the night airglow. The OH emission was found in a layer centered at 87 km having a half-width of 6 km and a total emission of 1.1 MR. The atomic oxygen altitude profile, ranging from 1.3 × 10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ at 83 km to 3 × 10¹¹ atoms/cm³ at 90 km is determined from the hydroxyl airglow measurements. This derivation is based on the steady state balance between ozone formation from atomic oxygen and its destruction by hydrogen which produces the OH infrared emission.     

Ozone and photochemistry of the Martian lower atmosphere

The calculation of number densities of CO₂, H₂O and N₂ photolysis products was carried out for the Martian atmosphere at heights up to 60 km. The ozone distributed in the atmosphere as a layer of 10 km width with [O₃] max = 2.5 × 10⁹ cm³ at height of 35 km which agree well with the results of u.v. observations on the evening terminator from the Mars-5 satellite. The calculated densities of O₂, CO and H₂O are also in good agreement with the measured data. The eddy diffusion coefficient is equal to 3 × 10⁶ in the troposphere (h ? 30 km) and 10⁸ cm² s^?1 above 40 km. The dependence of the total ozone content on water vapour amount in the atmosphere is considered; the hypothesis about the influence of water ice aerosol on the ozone formation is proposed to explain the high concentrations of ozone in the morning.     

A study of F2 region daytime vertical ionization fluxes at Millstone Hill during 1969

A study has been undertaken of the vertical fluxes of ionization in the F2 region over Millstone Hill (L = 3.2) utilizing incoherent scatter measurements of electron density, electron and ion temperatures, ion composition and vertical velocity, made over 24-hr periods twice per month during 1969. The paper presents the results for all these parameters on five representative days, and discusses the distribution of the vertical flux observed during the daytime at other times during the year.Near noon the downward flux reached a peak near 300 km with an average value of ～3 × 10⁹ el/cm²/sec in winter and ～1.6 × 10⁹ el/cm²/sec in summer. The difference is thought to be real and be caused by the higher loss rates prevailing in summer. Above 550 km there is usually a transition to upward flux, which appears to be fully established by 700 km and has an average value of the order of 5 × 10⁷ l/cm²/sec. From ion composition measurements, it appears that this flux is carried almost entirely by O⁺ ions to at least ～900 km, as the H⁺ ion concentration is small (<2% at ～775 km altitude) in this region by day. While the value of the escape flux appears in fair agreement with theoretical estimates of the limiting flux for this portion of the sunspot cycle, the extremely low H⁺ concentrations do not appear to be in accord with existing models.The diurnal variation of the upward flux through 650 km exhibits an abrupt onset close to the time of sunrise at the 200 km level (χ = 103°). A reversal to downward flux usually begins before sunset, often in the early afternoon.     

NASA-JSC measurements during “la campagne d'intercomparaison d'ozonometres”, Gap,France, June 1981

Measurements made by the NASA-JSC ozone instrument during the ozone intercomparison campaign from Gap, France during June 1981 are reported. Two flights were made on board the large balloon platform with other instruments using different techniques. The NASA-JSC instrument employs u.v. absorption photometry to obtain in situ results. Concentration (molecules cm^?3) and mixing ratio (pp mV) profiles are given for altitudes from 16 km to float altitudes of 32 and 39 km, respectively for the two flights. A measure of the total column content of ozone was obtained by integrating the NASA-JSC results from 16 km to float altitude and combining them with results from other techniques below 16 km and above float altitudes. Comparisons with results from other instruments are reported elsewhere in this publication.     

A layer of ozone detected in the nightside upper atmosphere of Venus

To date, ozone has only been identified in the atmospheres of Earth and Mars. This study reports the first detection of ozone in the atmosphere of Venus by the SPICAV ultraviolet instrument onboard the Venus Express spacecraft. Venusian ozone is characterized by a vertically confined and horizontally variable layer residing in the thermosphere at a mean altitude of 100 km, with local concentrations of the order of 10⁷–10⁸ molecules cm⁻³. The observed ozone concentrations are consistent with values expected for a chlorine-catalyzed destruction scheme, indicating that the key chemical reactions operating in Earth’s upper stratosphere may also operate on Venus.     

Diurnal CO variations in the Venus mesophere from CO microwave spectra

Microwave spectra of carbon monoxide (¹²CO) in the mesosphere of Venus were measured in December 1978, May and December 1980, and January, September, and November 1982. These spectra are analyzed to provide mixing profiles of CO in the Venus mesosphere and best constrain the mixing profile of CO between ～ 100 and 80 km altitude. From the January 1982 measurement (which, of all our spectra, best constrains the abundance of CO below 80 km altitude) we find an upper limit for the CO mixing ratio below 80 km altitude that is two to three times smaller than the stratospheric (～65 km) value of 4.5 ± 1.0 × 10^?5 determined by P. Connes, J. Connes, L.D. Kaplan, and W. S. Benedict (1968, Astrophys. J.152, 731–743) in 1967, indicating a possible long-term change in the lower atmospheric concentration of CO. Intercomparison among the individual CO profiles derived from our spectra indicates considerable short-term temporal and/or spatial variation in the profile of CO mixing in the Venus mesosphere above 80 km. A more complete comparison with previously published CO microwave spectra from a number of authors specifies the basic diurnal nature of mesospheric CO variability. CO abundance above ～ 95 km in the Venus atmosphere shows approximately a factor of 2–4 enhancement on the nightside relative to the dayside of Venus. Peak nightside CO abundance above ～95 km occurs very near to the antisolar point on Venus (local time of peak CO abundance above ～95 km occurs at 0.6_?0.6^+0.7 hr after midnight on Venus), strongly suggesting that retrograde zonal flow is substantially reduced at an altitude of 100 km in the Venus mesosphere. In contrast, CO abundances between 80 and 90 km altitude show a maximum that is shifted from the antisolar point toward the morningside of Venus (local time of peak CO abundance between 80 and 90 km occurs at 8.5 ± 1.0 hr past midnight on Venus). The magnitude of the diurnal variation of CO abundance between 80 and 90 km is again, approximately a factor of 2–4. Disk-averaged spectra of Venus do not determine the exact form for the diurnal distribution of CO in the Venus mesosphere as indicated by comparison of synthetic spectra, based upon model distributions, and the measured spectra. However, the offset in phase for the diurnal variation for the >95 km and 80–90-km-altitude regions requires an asymmetric (in solar zenith angle) distribution.     

A theoretical model of distribution of atmospheric ozone with altitude

A critical study of distribution of ozone with altitude of about 91 Km and above has been made and following important results are obtained:(i) An empirical equation is fitted theoretically between the variation of ozone concentration and altitude at a definite time.(ii) The rate of change of O₃ concentration with respect to altitude is directly proportional to the O₃ concentration at that altitude.(iii) From analysis it is shown that ozone concentration decreases with the increase of altitude.     

Calculated photoelectron pitch angle and energy spectra

Calculations of the steady-state photoelectron energy and angular distribution in the altitude region between 120 and 1000 km are presented. The distribution is found to be isotropic at all altitudes below 250 km, while above this altitude anisotropies in both pitch angle and energy are found. The isotropy found in the angular distribution below 250 km implies that photoelectron transport below 250 km is insignificant, while the angular anisotropy found above this altitude implies a net photoelectron current in the upward direction. The energy anisotropy above 500 km arises from the selective backscattering of the low energy photoelectron population of the upward flux component by Coulomb collisions with the ambient ions. The total photoelectron flux attains its maximum value between about 40 and 70 km above the altitude at which the photoelectron production rate is maximum. The displacement of the maximum of the equilibrium flux is attributed to an increasing (with altitude) photoelectron lifetime. Photoelectrons at altitudes above that where the flux is maximum are on the average more energetic than those below that altitude. The flux of photoelectrons escaping to the protonosphere at dawn was found to be 2.6 × 10⁸ cm^?2 sec^?1, while the escaping flux at noon was found to be 1.5 × 10⁸ cm^?2 sec^?1. The corresponding escaping energy fluxes are: 4.4 × 10⁹ eV cm^?2 sec^?1 and 2.7 × 10⁹ eV cm^?2 sec^?1.     

A global study of O2(1Δg) airglow: Day and twilight

Aircraft measurements of $\text{O}{}_2\text{(}{}^1\text{Δ}{}_{\mathrm{g}}\text{)}$ emission made over a 10-yr period provide information on the variation of ozone with latitude and season in the altitude region 50–90 km. Between 50 and 70 km there appears to be little variation (< ± 25%) whereas the abundance between 80 and 90 km exhibits a large seasonal change north of 30°N and much less at lower latitude. At mid and high latitude the column abundance above ～ 80 km changes from ? 1 × 10¹⁴ cm^?2 in summer to about 3 × 10¹⁴ cm^?2 in winter. There are occasional enhancements in both the day and twilight airglow which almost always occur in association with auroral activity or, at least, where such activity is statistically most likely. These enhancements appear to reflect a corresponding increase in the ozone mixing ratio in the upper stratosphere. While the gradient in ozone mixing ratio with latitude is generally small at altitudes between 50 and 90km there are occasions when a temporary latitude structure can be seen, particularly above 80 km.     

Measurements of the ambient photoelectron spectrum from atmosphere explorer: I. AE-E measurements below 300 km during solar minimum conditions

The ambient photoelectron spectrum below 300 km has been studied for a sample of 500 AE-E orbits taken during the period 13 December 1975 to 24 February 1976. During this solar minimum period, the average and maximum Σ K_p were 19 and 35 respectively. The agreement between the measured spectral shape and several recent calculations is extremely good. The daytime photoelectron spectrum below 300 km from 1 to 100 eV is illustrated by a number of spectra. Detailed 0–32 eV spectra are presented at various altitudes and solar zenith angles. High resolution 10–32eV spectra show the widths of the photoelectron lines in the spectrum and the variation of the linewidth and intensity with altitude. Data from the entire 500 orbit sample are combined into plots of the average flux over a number of altitude ranges up to 300 km at various local times and solar zenith angles. The data show that the photoelectron flux below 300 km is remarkably constant (typical variation less than ±50%) over a period of several months. The photoelectron lines between 20 and 30 eV are extremely sharp when the total plasma density is low but broaden significantly at high altitudes as the plasma density builds up during the day. The N₂ vibration-rotation excitation dip at 2.3 eV is strongest at the lowest altitudes and decreases with increasing altitude and plasma density. The absolute accuracy of the experiment is discussed in detail and a correction factor for previously published AE-E fluxes is given.     

Observation of mesospheric ozone at low latitudes

Stellar ultraviolet light near 2500 Å is attenuated in the Earth's upper atmosphere due to strong absorption in the Hartley continuum of ozone. The intensity of stars in the Hartley continuum region has been monitored by the University of Wisconsin stellar photometers aboard the OAO-2 satellite during occultation of the star by the Earth's atmosphere. These data have been used to determine the ozone number density profile at the occultation tangent point. The results of approximately 12 stellar occultations, obtained in low latitudes, are presented, giving the nighttime vertical number density profile of ozone in the 60- to 100-km region. The nighttime ozone number density has a bulge in its vertical profile with a peak of 1 to 2×10⁸ cm^?3 at approximately 83 km and a minimum near 75 km. The shape of the bulge in the ozone number density profile shows considerable variability with no apparent seasonal or solar cycle change. The ozone profiles obtained during a geomagnetic storm showed little variation at low latitudes.     

Atmospheric odd oxygen production due to the photodissociation of ordinary and isotopic molecular oxygen

Through a line by line calculation, the contributions of the Schumann-Runge bands of the ordinary and isotopic oxygen to the photodissociation of these molecules at different altitudes have been calculated. The photodissociation rates are expressed analytically. Contribution of the satellite lines has been taken into account. Due to the broadening of the SR lines, this contribution is insignificant. Similarly, it is shown that the first and higher vibrational states of the initial molecular states contribute insignificantly to the dissociation rates. It is also shown that the main contribution to the odd oxygen production in the important ozone producing altitudes is from the low vibrational and high rotational quantum numbers. The effect of the temperature on dissociation rates has similarly been studied.Due to its selective absorption, the isotopic oxygen ¹⁶O¹⁸O produces at 70 km 10 times as much odd oxygen as would be produced if the isotope did not have selective absorption. At this altitude 6% of the odd oxygen produced is due to this isotope. Also, 1.45% of the odd oxygen produced per second in an atmospheric column is due to ¹⁶O¹⁸O. However, the excess odd oxygen produced is not enough to explain the excess amount of ozone observed in the atmosphere which cannot be accounted for in the photochemical models.The calculated dissociation rates for the isotope are in moderate agreement with similar rates obtained by Blake et al. (1984, J. geophys. Res.89, 7277), but are by an order of magnitude smaller than similar rates given by Cicerone and McCrumb (1980, Geophys. Res. Lett.7, 251).     

The fall of the Grimsby meteorite—I: Fireball dynamics and orbit from radar,video, and infrasound records

Abstract– The Grimsby meteorite (H4–6) fell on September 25, 2009. As of mid‐2010, 13 fragments totaling 215 g have been recovered. Records of the accompanying fireball from the Southern Ontario Meteor Network, including six all‐sky video cameras, a large format CCD, infrasound and radar records, have been used to characterize the trajectory, speed, orbit, and initial mass of the meteoroid. From the four highest quality all‐sky video records, the initial entry velocity was 20.91 ± 0.19 km s^?1 while the derived radiant has a local azimuth of 309.40° ± 0.19° and entry angle of 55.20° ± 0.13°. Three major fragmentation episodes are identified at 39, 33, and 30 km height, with corresponding uncertainties of approximately 2 km. Evidence for early fragmentation at heights of approximately 70 km is found in radar data; dynamic pressure of this earliest fragmentation is near 0.1 MPa while the main flare at 39 km occurred under ram pressures of 1.5 MPa. The fireball was luminous to at least 19.7 km altitude and the dynamic mass estimate of the largest remaining fragment at this height is approximately several kilograms. The initial mass is constrained to be <100 kg from infrasound data and ablation modeling, with a most probable mass of 20–50 kg. The preatmospheric orbit is typical of an Apollo asteroid with a likely immediate origin in either the 3:1 or ν₆ resonances.     

Determination of zonal wind speeds at heights near 530 km from the orbit of Explorer 24 (1964-76A)

The orbit of Explorer 24 (1964–1976A) has been determined at 18 epochs during the five month period prior to its decay in October 1968, using the RAE orbit refinement computer program PROP6. As a balloon, the satellite was strongly influenced by atmospheric perturbations, despite its high perigee altitude near 490 km. It therefore provided an opportunity of determining atmospheric rotation rates at high altitude. The rotation rate, Λ rev day^?1, was estimated from the observed variation in orbital inclination, after the removal of perturbations including those due to solar radiation pressure.The mean rotation rates, averaged over local time, are Λ = 0.98 for 18 May to 18 August 1968 at 542 km; Λ = 1.06 for 18 May to 13 October 1968 at 533 km.For morning conditions, Λ = 0.9 for 22 June to 20 July 1968 at 540 km; Λ = 0.8 during September 1968 at 513 km.For evening conditions, Λ = 1.1 for 18 May to 15 June 1968, and for 26 July to 7 September 1968, at 540 km and 536 km respectively; Λ = 1.3 for 28 September to 13 October 1968 at 484 km.Further, the maximum W to E zonal wind has been estimated to occur at 20.5 h local time, during the period of the analysis.     

Altitude profile of H in the atmosphere of Venus from Lyman α observations of Venera 11 and Venera 12 and origin of the hot exospheric component

Two extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrophotometers flown in December 1978 on Venera 11 and Venera 12 measured the hydrogen Lyman α emission resonantly scattered in the atmosphere of Venus. Measurements were obtained across the dayside of the disk, and in the exosphere up to 50,000 km. They were analyzed with spherically symmetric models for which the radiative transfer equation was solved. The H content of the Venus atmosphere varies from optically thin to moderately thick regions. A shape fit at the bright limb allows one to determine the exospheric temperature T_c and the number density n_c independently of the calibration of the instrument or the exact value of the solar flux. The dayside exospheric temperature was measured for the first time in the polar regions, with T_c = 300 ± 25°K for Venera 11 (79°S) and T_c = 275 ± 25°K (59°S) for Venera 12. At the same place, the density is n_c = 4_?2⁺³ × 10⁴ atom.cm^?3, and the integrated number density N_t from 250 to 110 km (the level of CO₂ absorption) is 2.1 × 10¹² atom.cm^?2, a factor of 3 to 6 lower than that predicted in aeronomical models. This probably indicates that the models should be revised in the content of H-bearing molecules and should include the effect of dynamics. Across the disk the value of N_t decreases smoothly with a total variation of two from the morning side to the afternoon side. Alternately it could be a latitude effect, with less hydrogen in the polar regions. The nonthermal component if clearly seen up to 40,000 km of altitude. It is twice as abundant as at the time of Mariner 10 (solar minimum). Its radial distribution above 4000 km can be simulated by an exospheric distribution with T = 10³⁰K and n = 10³ atom.cm^?3 at the exobase level. However, there are less hot atoms between 2000 and 4000 km than predicted by an ionospheric source. A by-product of the analysis is a determination of a very high solar Lyman α flux of 7.6 × 10¹¹ photons (cm² sec Å)^?1 at line center (1 AU) in December 1978.     

Ion-ion recombination rates in the earth's atmosphere

The temperature dependence of the binary recombination coefficient, α₂, for the reaction NO⁺+NO₂^? → products has been obtained over the range 185–530 K. It is found that the corresponding mean cross section $\text{σ}$ is described by the power law $\text{σ}\text{? A · T}{}^{\mathrm{?0.9}}$, and that α₂ ? B · T^?0.4. Data has also been obtained for two cluster ion recombination reactions which indicate that their recombination cross sections are only about 40% larger than for the parent ions at a given temperature, the cross sections for these reactions also apparently increasing with decreasing temperature. In the light of this data and by considering the most probable positive and negative ions existing at various altitudes up to 90km in the atmosphere, the most appropriate ionic recombination coefficients in various altitude ranges are deduced. Thus, between 30 and 90 km, where the recombination process is two-body, the coefficient varies over the narrow range 5–9 × 10^?8 cm³s^?1, while below 30 km the process is predominantly three-body with an effective two-body rate increasing rapidly to a maximum value ≈3 × 10^?6 cm³s^?1 in the troposphere, these deductions being based on published laboratory determinations of three-body recombination coefficients.     

Dynamo region and the equatorial electrojet in the Jovian atmosphere

The existence of the dynamo region is identified in the atmosphere of Jupiter. It is found that the dynamo region extends from an altitude of 130 km (0.153 mbar) to 330 km (0.027 μbar) reckoned from zero altitude corresponding to 43.8 mbar pressure level. Physical features of the equatorial electrojet in the ionosphere of Jupiter are modelled in detail. The Jovian equatorial electrojet has a maximum eastward current density of about 1.5 Akm^?2 at an altitude of 270km (0.33 μbar) with a latitudinal half width of about ±11°. The thickness of the equatorial half width is 100 km in altitude range. The type I instability in the electrojet can exist only if the electron streaming velocity exceeds the value of about 250 m s^?1.     

The decay of luminosity in the trains of moderately bright meteors

The emission of light arising from the dissociative recombination with electrons of meteoric ions that have been oxidized by ozone is discussed and it is shown that this radiation has the characteristics necessary to explain the main features of luminosity observed below ～95 km in the trains of meteors in the approximate magnitude range 0 to ?5, namely: (i) that most enduring luminosity is obtained from heights between ～85 and ～95 km, (ii) that in this region the luminosity decays with time t according to (1 + Kt)^?2 (rather than in an exponential fashion) with a rate constant K varying from ～0.3 s^?1 near 90km to ～3s^?1 below 85km and (iii) that the spectrum contains mainly lines characteristic of neutral calcium, iron and magnesium.     

The first height measurements of the negative ion composition of the stratosphere

For the first time, height profiles of the stratospheric negative ion composition are presented. The results are from two nights of balloon borne mass spectrometers and cover an altitude range from 23.8 to 38.9 km. Below approx. 30km, NO^?₃ · mHNO₃ ions are dominant. These are replaced by HSO₄^? · nH₂SO₄ · oHNO₃ ions above this height. There are indications that the most abundant ions above 32 km have masses greater than 280 atomic mass units (amu), the instruments' mass range. The fractional ion count rates as a function of altitude are presented and their significance for neutral trace gas analysis and ion sampling is discussed.