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Meteoritic Dust and the Production of Metastable Nitrogen Molecules *
Author(s) -
Kaplan Joseph
Publication year - 1939
Publication title -
contributions of the society for research on meteorites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1945-5100
pISSN - 0096-2813
DOI - 10.1111/j.1945-5100.1939.tb00204.x
Subject(s) - metastability , atmosphere (unit) , nitrogen , sky , spectral line , molecule , astrobiology , chemistry , physics , chemical physics , astrophysics , astronomy , meteorology , organic chemistry
The part played by metastable nitrogen molecules and metastable nitrogen atoms in laboratory studies of auroral and night‐sky spectra is reviewed. The indication, by recent discoveries, that surfaces play an important rôle in the production of metastable entities in the laboratory, is used as the basis for an hypothesis regarding the rôle of meteoritic dust in the upper atmosphere. It is suggested that the relatively large concentration of metastable molecules in the 40‐70‐mile region of the upper atmosphere can be ascribed to the presence there of meteoritic dust particles which act as surfaces for the production of these molecules. The luminescence of ZnCO 3 in the presence of active nitrogen suggests the possibility of a similar phenomenon with meteoritic material as the luminescing particles. Finally, the remarkable similarity between laboratory night‐sky and auroral spectra and the natural spectra of the night sky and the aurorae is accounted for by the previously mentioned part played by meteoritic dust. Experimental verification of this hypothesis by Professor F. C. Leonard and the writer is proposed.