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NaHCO 3 : A source of Na atoms for sudden sodium layers?
Author(s) -
von Zahn Ulf,
Murad Edmond
Publication year - 1990
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/gl017i002p00147
Subject(s) - sodium , ionosphere , plasma , electron density , ion , dissociative recombination , atomic physics , reaction rate constant , geophysics , chemistry , physics , kinetics , quantum mechanics , biochemistry , organic chemistry , recombination , gene
We consider the case of sudden sodium layers which have been reported in the lower E region of the ionosphere. We suggest that dissociative electron attachment to NaHCO 3 , NaHCO 3 + e → Na +HCO 3 − , can explain some of the observations, in particular at altitudes above 95 km. This process would produce Na efficiently only in the case where a plasma of high density is injected into the sodium layer. The rate constant for the reaction is estimated to be of the order of 10 −8 cm 3 s −1 by analogy with similar species and by derivation from the observed geophysical parameters.