Diurnal variability of thermospheric N and NO |
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| Authors: | Toshihiro Ogawa Yutaka Kondo |
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| Institution: | Geophysics Research Laboratory, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan |
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| Abstract: | A model for diurnal variations of neutral and ionic nitrogen compounds in the thermosphere is reconstructed on the basis of a new photochemical aspect on N(2D), together with new observations of the NO density. The NO density so far measured must be reduced by a factor 2, due to a revision of the fluorescence coefficient for the NO γ-band airglow. Incorporating the quenching reaction of N(2D) with O in the model calculation results in a reduction of the NO density at heights as low as 100 km. These two effects are combined to lead to an evaluation that the N(2D) quantum yield for various possible reactions is as large as 0.9. A smaller rate coefficient for the quenching reaction than that measured in the laboratory, i.e. 1.0 × 10?12cm3sec?1 is favourable for the recent NO observation in the early morning, as well as the observed emission rates of the 5200 A airglow from N(2D) The present model predicts a significant day-to-night variation of N and NO densities at heights above 100 km. Below 100 km, the NO density is fairly stable because of its long chemical time constant. Since the rate coefficient for the conversion of N(4S) to NO is highly temperature dependent, the relative population of N(4S) and NO is very sensitive to the thermospheric temperature variation. Large variations of both N(4S) and NO densities due to the temperature change could occur especially at night. The model is in good agreement with the NO observations so far available in low and middle latitudes, as well as the N observation by the use of a rocket in the twilight. |
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