Open AccessN 2 O production by high energy auroral electron precipitation
Author(s) -
Semeniuk K.,
McConnell J. C.,
Jin J. J.,
Jarosz J. R.,
Boone C. D.,
Bernath P. F.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2007jd009690
Subject(s) - mesosphere , thermosphere , electron precipitation , atmospheric sciences , precipitation , atmosphere (unit) , polar vortex , polar , physics , ionosphere , stratosphere , environmental science , geophysics , magnetosphere , meteorology , plasma , astronomy , quantum mechanics
The Fourier transform spectrometer on SCISAT‐1 observed enhanced concentrations of N 2 O above 50 km in February of 2004 and 2006 in the wintertime polar region. These anomalously high concentrations are associated with the transport of high levels of NO x in the polar night region from the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere in both cases following sudden warming events in the middle of January. The NO x is produced by auroral electron precipitation. Simulations using a middle atmosphere chemistry climate model show significant amounts of N 2 O are produced in the upper mesosphere from the reaction of NO 2 and ground state atomic nitrogen. Thus, N 2 O acts as a signature of energetic electron precipitation. The model results exhibit polar‐night‐confined descent of NO x in the wake of sudden warmings and other dynamical regimes when the polar vortex intensifies at high latitudes in the mesosphere.