A discussion of the energy transfer from N2(A3Σu+) to O(1S) in pulsating aurora

In a recent paper, Brekke and Pettersen (1972) have introduced a method for estimating any indirect process in the production of the $\text{O}\text{(}{}^1\text{S}$) atoms in pulsating aurora; for 38 per cent of their data they found that the decay time for the indirect mechanism was shorter than the effective lifetime of the ${}^1\text{S}$ state. These data are related to the energy transfer from the N₂(A³Σ) molecules to the $\text{O}\text{(}{}^1\text{S)}$ state, and evidence is found for this process to contribute in the altitude range below 125 km.     

A self-consistent evaluation of the rate constants for the production of the OI 6300 Å airglow

The quenching rate k_N2 of $\text{O(}{}^1\text{D)}$ by N₂ and the specific recombination rate α_1D of O₂⁺ leading to $\text{O(}{}^1\text{D)}$ are re-examined in light of available laboratory and satellite data. Use of recent experimental values for the $\text{O(}{}^1\text{D)}$ transition probabilities in a re-analysis of AE-C satellite 6300 Å airglow data results in a value for k_N2 of 2.3 × 10^?11 cm³s^?1 at thermospheric temperatures, in excellent agreement with the laboratory measurements. This implies a value of J_O2 = 1.5 × 10^?6s^?1 for the O₂ photodissociation rate in the Schumann-Runge continuum. The specific recombination coefficient α_1D = 2.1 × 10^?7cm³s^?1 is also in agreement with the laboratory value. Implications for the suggested $\text{N}\text{(}{}^2\text{D) + O}{}_2\text{→ O(}{}^1\text{D) + NO}$ reaction are discussed.     

An indirect mechanism for the production of O(1S) in the aurora

Recent laboratory measurements of the deactivation rate constants for O(¹S) have suggested that the dominant production mechanism for the green line in the nightglow is a two-step process. A similar mechanism involving energy transfer from an excited state of molecular oxygen is considered as a potential source of the OI (5577 Å) emission in the aurora. It is shown that the mechanism, $\text{O}{}_2\text{+ e → O}{}_2{}^1\text{+ e O}{}_2{}^1\text{+ O → O}{}_2\text{+ O(}{}^1\text{S}\text{)}$, is consistent with auroral observations; the intermediate excited state has been tentatively identified as the O₂(c¹∑^?_u) state. For the proposed energy transfer mechanism to be the primary source of the auroral green line, the peak electron impact cross-section for O₂¹ production must be approximately 2 × 10^?17 cm².     

Aeronomical determination of the efficiency of O1D) production by dissociative recombination of O2+

Simultaneous measurements of the 6300 Å airglow intensity, the electron density profile, and F-region ion temperatures and vertical ion velocities taken at the Arecibo Observatory in March 1971 are utilized in the height integrated continuity equation to extract the number of photons'of 6300 Å emitted per recombination. After accounting for quenching of $\text{O}\text{(}{}^1\text{D}\text{)}$ and the electrons lost via NO⁺ recombination, the efficiency of $\text{O}\text{(}{}^1\text{D}\text{)}$ production by the dissociative recombination of O₂⁺ is determined to be 0.6 ± 0.2 including cascading from the $\text{O}\text{(}{}^1\text{S}\text{)}$ state. The uncertainty includes both random measurement errors and estimates of possible systematic errors.     

The O(1S) quantum yield from O2+ dissociative recombination

Recent laboratory studies show that the $\text{O}\text{(}{}^1\text{S}\text{)}$ quantum yield, $\text{f}\text{(}{}^1\text{S}\text{)}$, from O₂⁺ dissociative recombination varies considerably with the degree r of vibrational excitation. However, the suggestion that the high values for $\text{f}\text{(}{}^1\text{S}\text{)}$ deduced from airglow and auroral observations can be explained by invoking vibrational excitation, creates a number of problems. Firstly, the rapid vibrational deactivation of O₂⁺ ions by collisions with O atoms will keep r too low to account for the magnitude of $\text{f}\text{(}{}^1\text{S}\text{)}$; secondly, r varies considerably from one atmospheric source to another but its relative values (which should be reliable) do not co-vary with those of $\text{f}\text{(}{}^1\text{S}\text{)}$; thirdly, because r increases markedly above the peak of the $\text{X5577}\text{A}\text{?}$ dissociative recombination layer, the fits which theorists have obtained to the observed volume emission rate profiles would have to be regarded as fortuitious. It is tentatively suggested that $\text{f}\text{(}{}^1\text{S}\text{)}$ is higher in the airglow and aurora than in the laboratory plasma studied by Zipf (1980) because of the electron temperature dependence of the $\text{O}\text{(}{}^1\text{S}\text{)}$ specific recombination coefficient for O₂⁺(v^' ? 3) ions.The repulsive ${}^1\text{Σ}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>u</mtext>}}\text{[}{}^1\text{D}\text{+}{}^1\text{s}\text{]}$ state of O₂ does not provide a suitable channel for the dissociative recombination. A possible alternative is the bound ${}^3\text{Π}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>u</mtext>}}\text{[}{}^5\text{S}\text{+}{}^3\text{s}\text{]}$ state with predissociation to the repulsive ${}^3\text{Π}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>u</mtext>}}\text{[}{}^3\text{P}\text{+}{}^1\text{s}\text{]}$ state.     

Detection of [Ol] 1S-1D in Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock

Spectra of the $\text{[}\text{OI}\text{]}{}^1\text{D-}{}^3\text{P}$ “red” doublet and the ¹S-¹D “green” line in Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock (1983d) were obtained during its close approach to the Earth. This is the first unequivocal photoelectric detection of the green line in a cometary spectrum. The population ratio of the O (¹S) state to the O (¹D) state in the inner coma is ≦0.03. This ratio eliminates CO or CO₂ and points strongly to H₂O as the primary parent for excited oxygen atoms.     

Emission line shapes produced by dissociative excitation of atmospheric gases

Special line shapes are derived fro the λ 1356 Å (${}^5\text{S}{}^0\text{-}{}^3\text{P}$) transition of atomic oxygen from metastable (${}^5\text{S}{}^0\text{-}{}^3\text{P}$) time-of-flight spectra produced by electron impact dissociative excitation of O₂, CO₂, CO, and NO, and they are compared with the broadened λ 1304 A resonance line shapes deduced by Poland and Lawrence (1973) from atomic oxygen absorption studies. The non-thermal line shapes for both airglow emission features are shown to have an effective width comparable to a 60,000 K thermal doppler line shape for an electron impact energy of 100eV. The variation of the effective line width with electron-impact energy from threshold to 300 eV is given. Since the effective line width of the resonance radiation produced by dissociative excitation is very large compared with the doppler absorption widths of the ambient O atoms at normal exospheric temperatures, the anomalously broadened resonance lines will propagate through a planetary atmosphere as though they were optically thin. Thus, electron-impact dissociation of CO and CO₂ will contribute to the observed optically thin component of the λ 1304 Å emission in the upper atmospheres of Venus and Mars. However, the process cannot account for more than 10% of the observed optically thin emission because of the small magnitude of the excitation cross-section and the comparatively high-energy threshold for the process. The possibility that the source of the kinetically energetic $\text{O}\text{(}{}^3\text{S}$) atoms is the dissociative recombination of vibrationally excited CO₂⁺ ions is discussed.     

The excitation of the 557.7 nm line and Herzberg bands in the nightglow

Measurements of the emission intensities of the 557.7 nm line and Herzberg bands and of O(³P) concentrations carried out on two coordinated rocket flights at South Uist during the night of 8/9 September 1975 are presented. An examination of the 557.7 nm emission and $\text{O}\text{(}{}^3\text{P}\text{)}$ data on the basis of recent data on relevant rate coefficients has shown that the results can be interpreted on the basis of the Barth mechanism for the production of $\text{O}\text{(}{}^1\text{S}\text{)}$ atoms but not the Chapman mechanism. Evidence is provided that the A³Σ⁺_u state of O₂ could be responsible for the $\text{O}\text{(}{}^1\text{S}\text{)}$ production in the Barth mechanism. Values of the rate coefficients involved are deduced from a comparison of the 557.7 nm and Herzberg emission rates.     

Cross-section for the dissociative photoionization of hydrogen by 584 Å radiation: The formation of protons in the Jovian ionosphere

The cross-section for dissociative photoionization of hydrogen by 584 Å radiation has been measured, yielding a value of 5 × 10^?20 cm². The process can be explained as a transition from the $\text{X}{}^1\text{Σ}{}_{\mathrm{g}}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ ground state to a continuum level of the $\text{X}{}^2\text{Σ}{}_{\mathrm{g}}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ ionized state of H₂ The branching ratio for proton (H⁺) vs molecular ion (H₂⁺) production at this energy is 8 × 10^?3. This process is quite likely an important source of protons in the Jovian ionosphere near altitudes where peak ionization rates are found.     

Small-scale turbulence in the atmosphere of Venus

Previous studies based on radio scintillation measurements of the atmosphere of Venus have identified two regions of small-scale temperature fluctuations located in the vicinity of 45 and 60 km. A global study of the fluctuations near 60 km, which are consistent with wind-shear-generated turbulence, was conducted using the Pioneer Venus measurements. The structure constants of refractive index fluctuations c_n² and temperature fluctuations c_T² increase poleward, peak near 70° latitude, and decrease over the pole; c_n² varies from 2 × 10^?15 to 1.5 × 10^?14m^{$\text{2}\text{3}$} and c_T² from 4 × 10^?3 to 7 × 10^?2°K²m^{$\text{?2}\text{3}$}. These results indicate greater turbulent activity at the higher latitudes. In the region near 45 km the refractive index fluctuations and the corresponding temperature fluctuations are substantially lower. Based on the analysis of one representative occultation measurement, $\text{c}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>n</mtext>}}{}^2\text{= 2 × 10}{}^{\mathrm{?16}}\text{m}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>?2</mtext><mtext>3</mtext>}}\text{and}\text{c}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>T</mtext>}}{}^2\text{= 7.3 × 10}{}^{\mathrm{?4}}\text{°}\text{K}{}^2\text{m}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>?2</mtext><mtext>3</mtext>}}$ in the 45-km region. The fluctuations in this region also appear to be consistent with wind-shear-generated turbulence. The turbulence level is considerably weaker than that at 60 km; the energy dissipation rate ε is 4.9 × 10^?5m²sec^?3 and the small-scale eddy diffusion coefficient K is 2 × 10³ cm² sec^?1.     

The excitation of atomic oxygen to the O(1S) level by energy transfer from N2(A3∑u+) molecules in aurora

The part that the energy transfer reaction $\text{N}{}_2\text{(A}{}^3\text{∑}{}_{\mathrm{u}}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{) + O(}{}^3\text{P) → N}{}_2\text{(X}{}^1\text{∑}{}_{\mathrm{g}}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{) + O(}{}^1\text{S)}$ plays in the excitation of the auroral green line has been investigated. The contribution is estimated to be 40 per cent in this case, containing pulsating aurora in class IBC 1. Due to greater quenching of the A³∑_u⁺ state, the centroid of the VK emission is displaced 10 km upwards of the green line height, which is centred at 110 km.     

Airborne spectroscopy and spacecraft radiometry of Venus in the far infrared

In March 1979, the spectrum of Venus was recorded in the far infrared from the G.P. Kuiper Airborne Observatory when the planet subtended a phase angle of 62°. The brightness temperature was observed to be 275°K near 110 cm^?1, dropping to 230°K near 270 cm^?1. Radiance calculations, using temperature and cloud structure formation from the Pioneer Venus mission and including gaseous absorption by the collision-induced dipole of CO₂, yield results consistently brighter than the observations. Supplementing the spectral data, Pioneer Venus OIR data at similar phase angles provide the constraint that any additional infrared opacity must be contained in the upper cloud, H₂SO₄ to the Pioneer-measured upper cloud structure serves to reconcile the model spectrum and the observations, but cloud microphysics strongly indicates that such a high particle density haze $\text{(N ? 1.6 × 10}{}^7\text{cm}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}\text{)}$ is implausible. The atmospheric environment is reviewed with regard to the far infrared opacity and possible particle distribution modifications are discussed. We conclude that the most likely possibility for supplementing the far-infrared opacity is a population of large particles $\text{(}\text{r}\text{? 1 μm)}$ in the upper cloud with number densities less than 1 particle cm^?3 which has remained undetected by in situ measurements.     

On fourier-analysis of geomagnetic pulsations pc-1, “two-fold” and “three-fold” pulsations pc-1 and fundamental frequencies of the magnetospheric cavity—I

The paper gives the results of detailed studies of the frequency spectra $\text{S}{}_{\mathrm{s}}\text{(?)}$ of the chain of the wave packets F_s(t) of geomagnetic pulsations PC-1 recorded at the Novolazarevskaya station. The bulk of the energy of F_s(t) is concentrated in the vicinity of the central frequencies $\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{s0}}$ of spectra—the carrier frequencies of the signals. The velocity $\text{V}{}_0\text{≌ 6.10}{}^3\text{km s}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$ of the flux of protons generating these signals correspond to them. The spectra of the signals have oscillations—“satellites” irregularly distributed in frequency. These satellites, as the authors believe, testify to the presence of the individual groups of protons of low concentration whose velocities vary within 10³–10⁴ km s^?1.Their energy is only of the order of 10^?2–10^?3 of the energy of the main proton flux. Clearly pronounced maxima on double and triple frequencies $\text{? = 2?}{}_{\mathrm{s0}}\text{and}\text{3?}{}_{\mathrm{s0}}$ are detected. They show that the generation of pulsations PC-1 is accompanied by the generation on the overtones of wave packets called in this paper “two-fold” and “three-fold” pulsations PC-1. Intensive symmetrical satellites of a modulation character have been discovered on frequencies $\text{?}{}^{\mathrm{\pm }}{}_{\mathrm{sK}}$. Frequency differences $\text{Δ?}{}_{\mathrm{sK}}{}^{\mathrm{\pm }}\text{=}\text{¦?}{}_{\mathrm{s0}}\text{? ?}{}_{\mathrm{sK}}{}^{\mathrm{\pm }}\text{¦}\text{= (0.011,0.022}\text{and}\text{0.035)}\text{Hz}$ correspond to them. The authors believe that the values of Δ?^±_sK are resonance frequencies of the magnetospheric cavity in which geomagnetic pulsations PC-1 are generated. It is established that the values of Δ?^±_sK coincide closely with the carrier frequencies of geomagnetic pulsations PC-3 and PC-4 generated in the magnetosphere. This leads to the conclusion that the resonance oscillations of the magnetospheric cavity are their source. Thus, the generation of geomagnetic pulsations of different types and resonance oscillations in the magnetosphere are integrated into a unified process. The importance of the results obtained and the necessity to check further their trustworthiness and universality, using experimental data gathered in different conditions, is stressed.     

Association of atomic oxygen and airglow excitation mechanisms

An outline is presented of a method of calculating relative rates of association of oxygen atoms by energy transfer into the different bound states of molecular oxygen. The method takes account of the detailed form of the potential energy curves for the different states. Results are presented for seven bound states of O₂ at temperatures between 100 and 600 K and are compared with laboratory and airglow data. The ⁵Π_g state, not known experimentally, accounts for over 70% of the total association below 200 K. At higher temperatures it is redissociated, and the variation in its effective association rate is primarily responsible for the variation of the total rate of oxygen association with temperature. The ⁵Π_g state is probably involved in the production at night of the a¹Δ_g and b¹Σ_g⁺ states of O₂, and in the production of $\text{O(}{}^1\text{S)}$ in the airglow. It may also be produced by electron impact on O₂, and contribute to $\text{O(}{}^1\text{S)}$ production in aurorae.     

Upper limit on the radar cross section of the comet Kohoutek

An attempt to observe radar echoes from the comet Kohoutek was made at a radio frequency of 7840 MHz (λ ～- 3.8 cm) on 12 January 1974 using the Haystack Observatory radar in Massachusetts. A search for an echo over a range of band-widths covering 2Hz to 66kHz yielded no positive result. The upper limit on the radar cross section is therefore approximately $\text{10}{}^4\text{B}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{km}{}^2$, where B is the (unknown) bandwidth of the echo in Hertz. For $\text{B ? 100}\text{Hz}$, it follows that (i) the nucleus, if a perfect spherical reflector, must be less than 250 km in diameter, and (ii) the density of any millimeter-sized particles must be less than 1m^?3 for a coma of diameter 10⁴km.     

On the photodissociation of water vapour in the mesosphere

The photodissociation of water vapour in the mesosphere depends on the absorption of solar radiation in the region (175–200 nm) of the O₂ Schumann-Runge band system and also at H-Lyman alpha. The photodissociation products are OH + H, OH + H, O + 2H and H₂ + O at Lyman alpha; the percentages for these four channels are 70, 8, 12 and 10%, respectively, but OH + H is the only channel between 175 and 200 nm. Such proportions lead to a production of H atoms corresponding to practically the total photodissociation of H₂O, while the production of H₂ molecules is only 10% of the H₂O photodissociation by Lyman alpha.The photodissociation frequency (s^?1) at Lyman alpha can be expressed by a simple formula

$\text{J}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Ly</mtext><mtext>\alpha </mtext>}}\text{H}{}_2\text{O=4.5 ×10}{}^{\mathrm{?6}}\text{1+0.2}\text{F}{}_{10.7}\text{?65}\text{100}\text{exp}\text{[?4.4 ×10}{}^{\mathrm{?19}}\text{N}{}^{0.917}\text{]}$

where F_{10.7 cm} is the solar radioflux at 10.7 cm and N the total number of O₂ molecules (cm^?2), and when the following conventional value is accepted for the Lyman alpha solar irradiance at the top of the Earth's atmosphere ($\text{Δλ = 3.5}\text{A}\text{?}$) q_Lyα,∞ = 3 × 10¹¹ photons cm^?2 s^1?.The photodissociation frequency for the Schumann-Runge band region is also given for mesospheric conditions by a simple formula

$\text{J}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>SRB</mtext>}}\text{(}\text{H}{}_2\text{O}\text{) = J}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>SRB</mtext><mtext>,\infty </mtext>}}\text{(}\text{H}{}_2\text{O}\text{) exp [?10}{}^{\mathrm{?7}}\text{N}{}^{0.35}\text{]}$

where J_SRB,∞(H₂O) = 1.2 × 10^?6 and 1.4 × 10^?6 s^?1 for quiet and active sun conditions, respectively.The precision of both formulae is good, with an uncertainty less than 10%, but their accuracy depends on the accuracy of observational and experimental parameters such as the absolute solar irradiances, the variable transmittance of O₂ and the H₂O effective absorption cross sections. The various uncertainties are discussed. As an example, the absolute values deduced from the above formulae could be decreased by about 25-20% if the possible minimum values of the solar irradiances were used.     

Quantal calculation of the lifetime of N+(5S) and the λ2145Å auroral mystery feature

The calculated radiative lifetime of the metastable ion is 6.4 × 10^?3s. Used in conjunction with the results of measurements by Erdman, Espy and Zipf this sets 1.3 × 10^?18 cm² as the upper limit to the cross section for the formation of $\text{N}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{(}{}^5\text{S}\text{)}$ in e - N₂ collisions at 100eV which leaves the possibility that the process is responsible for the $\text{λ2145}\text{A}\text{?}$ feature in auroras only just open. The cross section for the formation of $\text{N}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{(}{}^5\text{S}\text{)}$ in e — N collisions is large. However for this process to lead to the observed intensity of $\text{λ2145}\text{A}\text{?}$ relative to $\text{λ3914}\text{A}\text{?}$ the N:N₂ abundance ratio would have to be as high as 1.6 × 10^?2.     

The locating of hydromagnetic whistler sources and determination of their generating proton spectra

Results are given of the calculations of the group delay time propagating τ(ω, φ₀) of hydromagnetic whistlers, using outer ionospheric models closely resembling actual conditions. The τ(ω, φ₀) dependencies were compared with the experimental data of τ_exp(ω, φ₀) obtained from sonagrams. The sonagrams were recorded in the frequency range $\text{? ? (0.5?2.5) Hz}$ at observation points located at geomagnetic latitudes φ₀ = (53?66)° and in the vicinity of the geomagnetic poles. This investigation has led us to new and important conclusions.The wave packets (W.P.) forming hydromagnetic whistlers (H.W.) are mainly generated in the plasma regions at L = 3.5?4.0. This is not consistent with ideas already expressed in the literature that their generation region is $\text{L ? 3?10}$. The overwhelming majority of the τ_exp values differ considerably from the times at which wave packets would, in theory, propagate along the magnetic field lines corresponding to those of the geomagnetic latitudes φ₀ of the observation points. The second important fact is that the W.P. frequency ω is less than $\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{H}}$ everywhere along its propagation trajectory, including the apogee of the magnetic force line ($\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{H}}$ is the proton gyrofrequency). Proton flux spectra $\text{E ? (30?120)}$ keV, responsible for H.W. generation, were determined. Comparison of the Explorer-45 and OGO-3 measurements published in the literature, with our data, showed that the proton flux density energy responsible for the H.W. excitation $\text{N}{}_{\mathrm{p}}\text{(}\text{MV}{}_6{}^2\text{2}\text{) ? (5 × 10}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}\text{?10}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{)}\text{H}{}_{\mathrm{a}}{}^2\text{8π}$ where H_a is the magnetic field force in the generation region of these W.P. The electron concentration is $\text{N}{}_{\mathrm{a}}\text{? (10}{}^2\text{?10}{}^3\text{) cm}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}$. The values given in the literature are $\text{N}{}_{\mathrm{a}}\text{? (10}{}^{\mathrm{?10}}\text{?10}{}^3\text{) cm}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}$. The e data considered also leads to the conclusion that the generating mechanism of the W.P. studied probably always co-exists with the mechanism of their amplification.