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Dissociative recombination of N 2 + in the ionosphere
Author(s) -
Torr Marsha R.,
Torr D. G.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl006i010p00775
Subject(s) - dissociative recombination , ionosphere , ion , charge exchange , electron , atomic physics , recombination , atmosphere (unit) , physics , satellite , phase (matter) , range (aeronautics) , atmospheric sciences , astrophysics , materials science , meteorology , nuclear physics , chemistry , astronomy , biochemistry , quantum mechanics , composite material , gene
Earlier attempts to determine the rate coefficient for the process from the Atmosphere Explorer satellite data were based on measurements made near the minimum of the solar cycle. This phase of solar activity is not optimum for such a determinationas the N 2 + chemistry is dominated by the minor ion speciesO + (²D). In a study of the N 2 + ion using measurements made during 1978a significantly higher phase of solar activitywe find the major source of N 2 + is photoionizationrather than charge exchange with O + (²D)and the major loss process above 300 km is dissociative recombination with electrons. Under such conditions α can be unambiguously determined. Using a data sample for which the electron temperature covered the range 1000 to 3400°Kwe evaluate αand find the results to be in good agreement with the laboratory measurements given by the expression