Measurements of the ambient photoelectron spectrum from atmosphere explorer: I. AE-E measurements below 300 km during solar minimum conditions |
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| Authors: | JS Lee JP Doering TA Potemra LH Brace |
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| Institution: | Department of Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, U.S.A.;Applied Physics Laboratory, The Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20810, U.S.A.;National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, U.S.A. |
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| Abstract: | 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 Kp 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. |
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