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Determination of nitric oxide concentrations from sunrise E ‐region electron density measurements
Author(s) -
Monro P. E.,
Smith L. G.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1029/rs010i003p00317
Subject(s) - sunrise , sunset , atmospheric sciences , middle latitudes , electron density , nitric oxide , ionization , nitric acid , environmental science , range (aeronautics) , electron , meteorology , chemistry , physics , materials science , astronomy , inorganic chemistry , ion , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , composite material
Midlatitude sunrise electron density profiles have been analyzed in order to determine nitric oxide concentrations in the range 100–160 km. In general, the determinations are restricted to heights for which the ionization of nitric oxide by direct solar Lyman‐α radiation is the main contribution to the growth of the E region. The concentrations obtained are larger, by factors of approximately 3 to 4, than those obtained from the midlatitude airglow measurements of other workers. Concentrations have been obtained from one sunset measurement and these are significantly lower than the sunrise values. The results also give a clear indication of increasing nitric oxide concentrations above 120 km with increasing solar activity.