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Reevaluation of the O(+)(2P) reaction rate coefficients derived from Atmosphere Explorer C observationsO(+)(2P) is an important species for studies of the ionosphere and thermosphere: its emission at 7320 A can be used as a diagnostic of the thermospheric atomic oxygen density. Unfortunately, there are no laboratory measurements of the O and N2 reaction rates which are needed to determine the major sinks of (O+)(2p). We have recalculated the O and N2 reaction rates for O(+) (2P) using recent improvements in the solar EUV flux, cross sections, and photoelectron fluxes. For the standard solar EUV flux, the new N2 reaction rate of 3.4 +/- 1.5 x 10 exp -10 cu cm/s is close to the value obtained by Rusch et al. (1977), but the new O reaction rate of 4.0 +/- 1.9 x 10 exp -10 cu cm/sec is about 8 times larger. These new reaction rates are derived using neutral densities, electron density, and solar EUV fluxes measured by Atmosphere Explorer C in 1974 during solar minimum. The new theoretical emission rates are in good agreement with the data for the two orbits studied by Rusch et al.
Document ID
19940033540
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Chang, T.
(NASA Headquarters Washington, DC United States)
Torr, D. G.
(NASA Headquarters Washington, DC United States)
Richards, P. G.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, United States)
Solomon, S. C.
(Colorado Univ. Boulder, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
September 1, 1993
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 98
Issue: A9
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
94A10195
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-89-15898
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-996
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-90-18165
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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