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DE‐2 mass spectrometer observations relevant to the shuttle glow
Author(s) -
Engebretson Mark J.,
Hedin Alan E.
Publication year - 1986
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/gl013i002p00109
Subject(s) - space shuttle , spectrometer , mass spectrometry , ion , satellite , physics , nitrogen , glow discharge , environmental science , atomic physics , astrobiology , atmospheric sciences , materials science , plasma , optics , nuclear physics , astronomy , quantum mechanics
A comparison of satellite mass spectrometer data from Dynamics Explorer‐2 and Atmosphere Explorer‐C and ‐D provides new evidence supporting the hypothesis that NO 2 is the source of the observed continuum glow near ram‐facing surfaces of the space shuttle. Surface reactions of thermospheric N and O in mass spectrometer ion sources produce NO and NO 2 in amounts highly dependent on surface temperature and composition, with direct exposure of ion source surfaces to rammed gas a necessary condition for the production of large amounts of NO 2 . Initial orbit data indicate that a period of surface conditioning is necessary before these odd nitrogen molecules can be produced efficiently.