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Electron loss coefficients at 80 km from a simplified positive ion model
Author(s) -
Prasad B. S. N.,
Mohanty S.
Publication year - 1980
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/rs015i005p01017
Subject(s) - ion , zenith , solar zenith angle , atomic physics , physics , electron , rocket (weapon) , electron density , ionosphere , computational physics , atmospheric sciences , optics , nuclear physics , geophysics , quantum mechanics , engineering , aerospace engineering
Experimental electron densities for a mid‐latitude station and a simplified positive ion model consisting of O 2 + , NO + and their respective cluster ions are used in analyzing the normal day ion production and loss processes at 80 km for solar zenith angles 45° to 75°. Effective recombination coefficient and positive ion relative composition are calculated and compared with the experimental results. For a satisfactory agreement, the NO density is taken as 1.6 X 10 6 cm −3 , which is about an order of magnitude less than the generally accepted value from rocket studies. It is also shown here that q ∝ [ e ] is not valid at 80 km.