AN IONOSPHERIC ESTIMATE OF NITRIC OXIDE CONCENTRATION IN THE D-REGION.
Abstract
It is shown that the dissimilar nature in the solar cycle variations in the three major competing ionizing sources for the D-region (e.g. X-rays below 8A, Lyman-alpha and cosmic rays) can be used to provide an estimate for the concentration of the neutral nitric oxide at and near 70 km. Use of the electron density pfrofiles recently given by Deeks (Radio space Res. Sta. Int. Memo. 219, 1965) for sunspot minimum and maximum conditions for equinox in middle latitudes gives a nitric oxide concentration of 400,000/cucm. around 72 km, about one hundredth of Barth's rocket-deduced value. When this value is integrated with currently available photochemical information, the following empirical distribution is indicated: n(NO)=0.02 exp(-3300/T)n(O2)+0.0000005n(O). (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 15, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0635603
Entities
People
- Ashesh P. Mitra
Organizations
- Pennsylvania State University