The production of nitrogen atoms on Mars and their escape

Quantitative calculations of the escape rate of nitrogen by photodissociation and photoionization, by photoelectron impact processes, by chemical reactions and by dissociative recombination are reported. It is shown that the predicted present escape rate of 2.0 × 10⁵ atoms cm^?2 S^?1 is consistent with the measured ¹⁵N/¹⁴N isotope ratio. A minimum of 4.0 × 10²² cm^?2 S^?1 is obtained for the initial reservoir of N₂. The production rates of N(⁴S) and N(²D) atoms in the atmosphere are obtained and the altitude profile of N(²D) is calculated.