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Hedin, A. E.

Publications and source records attributed to Hedin, A. E..

At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1977

A global thermospheric model based on mass spectrometer and incoherent scatter data MSIS. I - N2 density and temperature

Measurements of neutral nitrogen density from mass spectrometers on five satellites (AE-B, Ogo 6, San Marco 3, Aeros A, and AE-C) and neutral temperatures inferred from incoherent scatter measurements at four ground stations are combined to produce a model of thermospheric neutral temperatures and nitrogen densities similar to the Ogo 6 empirical model (Hedin et al., 1974). This global model is designated MSIS (mass spectrometer and incoherent scatter). The global average temperature, the annual temperature variation, lower bound density, and lower bound temperature are discussed. The data set covers the time period from the end of 1965 to mid-1975 and also a wide range of solar activities. Diurnal and semidiurnal variations in lower bound density and temperature are considered, as is magnetic activity.

Hedin, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A global thermospheric model based on mass spectrometer and incoherent scatter data MSIS. II - Composition

Measurements of O, He, and Ar from neutral gas mass spectrometers on four satellites (Ogo 6, San Marco 3, Aeros A, and AEC-C) and inferred oxygen and hydrogen densities from an ion mass spectrometer on AE-C have been combined with a neutral temperature and nitrogen density model to produce a global model of thermospheric composition in terms of inferred variations at 120 km. The data set covers the time period from mid-1969 to mid-1975. The MSIS (mass spectrometer and incoherent scatter data) model is compared with the Ogo 6 model (Hedin et al., 1974). Ar variations at 120 km tend to be in phase with temperature variations and inverse to the He, O, and H variations.

Hedin, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Significance of large-scale circulation in magnetic storm characteristics with application to AE-C neutral composition data

Theoretical analysis of a magnetic storm in February 1974 leads to the following conclusions: (1) Wind-induced diffusion leads to depletion of O and He and enhancements of Ar at high latitudes. (2) The same process increases O and He and decreases Ar at low latitudes. (3) There is substantial agreement between theory and neutral composition data from the AE-C closed source neutral mass spectrometer; the low-latitude enhancements of O and He, in magnitude comparable to or even larger than those of N2 and Ar, are observed, which is characteristic for the circulation mechanism. (4) To achieve agreement with the composition measurements, a heat input rate of 1.7 ergs/sq cm s is required above 120 km. (5) Changes in the neutral composition associated with the annual variations have significant effects on the magnetic storm dynamics.

Mayr, H. G.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Intercomparison of neutral composition measurements from the satellite Esro 4, Aeros A, Aeros B, and Atmosphere Explorer C

Number-density data obtained at orbital 'crossover' points with the neutral-gas mass spectrometers aboard the Esro 4, Aeros A, AE-C, and Aeros B satellites are intercompared. All the mass spectrometers were designed to measure the ambient number densities of atomic oxygen, molecular nitrogen, helium, and argon. It is found that the agreement for N2 and O is satisfactory within the experimental errors and that the He measurements exhibit unexpectedly large discrepancies far outside the error range. Calibration and instrument sources of error are considered.

Trinks, H.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Comparison of neutral temperatures inferred from instruments on the AE-C satellite

Determinations of neutral thermospheric temperature from data taken with instruments aboard the AE-C spacecraft have been compared during the circular orbit phase in late December 1974 and January 1975 when the satellite altitude was near 260 km. These temperatures are found to be in overall agreement to within about 10% during periods of low magnetic activity. The methods are based on: analysis of the satellite spin modulation of N2 density; analysis of the ion temperature; and the calculation of the temperature needed to match measured N2 and Ar densities assuming fixed boundary conditions at 120 km.

Hedin, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Atomic nitrogen densities in the thermosphere

Recently atomic nitrogen densities of about one million per cu cm were measured at 400 km by the open source mass spectrometer on the Atmosphere Explorer-C satellite (AE-C). Daytime N densities about 50 million per cu cm at 160 km have also been inferred from airglow and other measurements on AE-C. It is shown that atomic nitrogen densities of this magnitude result in significantly lower values for the O2(+) concentration than those measured on AE-C over the altitude range to 160 to 200 km, because of the removal process O2(+) + N k3 yields NO(+) + O. The discrepancy can be explained in terms of latitudinal variations in both the N and O2 densities. Evidence is presented which indicates that k3 could be as low as 0.1 billionth per cu cm at ionospheric temperatures. K3 is the rate constant for the reaction of O2(+) with N(4-S).

Torr, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Phase and amplitude relationships of wave structure observed in the lower thermosphere

Data from the Atmosphere Explorer-C satellite clearly exhibit wavelike variations in neutral composition, ion density, and electron temperature, which appear to be a general feature of the atmosphere. The neutral constituents do not exhibit uniform wave characteristics since the density variations of argon are approximately twice those of molecular nitrogen and helium structure has about one-half the amplitude of the N2 variation. The waves evident in the ion density are nearly in phase with the heavy neutrals, while the electron-temperature variations are predominantly out of phase with those in the ion density. A simple model is suggested to explain the neutral composition results, wherein the enhancements in the major gas densities are in phase with the vertical component of the perturbation velocity of the gas. The vertical velocity modifies the composition by transporting parcels of air to higher or lower regions where the composition is different. The phase relationship between density and velocity implies phase velocities (assuming that these are gravitational waves) of the order of 500 meters per sec.

Reber, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Heating of the high-latitude thermosphere during magnetically quiet periods

A persistent mid- to high-latitude heating phenomenon is observed in both hemispheres in data from the Ogo 6 quadrupole mass spectrometer. The phenomenon is evidenced by an increase in N2 density (indicative of a thermospheric temperature rise) and a depletion in helium (indicating an upwelling of air). The composition changes maximize near 0900 and 2100 UT, appear to corotate with the local magnetic pole, and are larger near equinox than near the summer solstice. The variation in latitude of the peak in the winter helium density (as a function of UT) is a specific manifestation of this general heating phenomenon.

Reber, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Comparison of atomic oxygen measurements by incoherent scatter and satellite-borne mass spectrometer techniques

Atomic oxygen densities determined by the incoherent scatter technique are compared to densities deduced from satellite-borne mass spectrometer measurements and are found to agree within experimental error. The diurnal variations inferred from the incoherent scatter measurements do show, however, some departure from diurnal variations found by modeling the mass spectrometer results. Some implications of these departures are briefly discussed.

Hedin, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Role of gas-surface interactions in the reduction of Ogo 6 neutral particle mass spectrometer data.

Data obtained with the quadrupole mass spectrometer aboard the Ogo 6 satellite show the effects of significant surface interaction processes, including nearly complete recombination of incoming atomic oxygen on the walls of the instrument antechamber plus adsorption and desorption of oxygen and carbon monoxide. The observed data are fit by solving the time-dependent continuity equations accounting for production and loss of atomic oxygen, molecular oxygen, and (in the case of mass 28) carbon monoxide. The surface parameters that best fit the data are selected and applied to the determination of ambient densities and their estimated errors.

Hedin, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Equatorial phenomena in neutral thermospheric composition.

Several interesting phenomena relating to the equatorial ionosphere have been observed in the data from the OGO-6 mass spectrometer. The diurnal variations during equinox at an altitude of 450 km show the N2 and O densities peaking near 1500 hr while He peaks near 1000 hr. The latitudinal variation in N2 during the day is very similar to the F-region electron density exhibiting the well known features of the ionospheric anomaly. During periods of intense geomagnetic disturbance (e.g. the large storm of 8 March 1970), the low latitude thermospheric temperature increases on the order of 50-150 K, while at mid latitudes, increases of more than 1000 K are observed.

Reber, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Global characteristics in the diurnal variations of the thermospheric temperature and composition

Global characteristics in the diurnal components of OGO-6 neutral mass spectrometer measurements near 450 km are discussed qualitatively as well as quantitatively on the basis of a theoretical model. Observations and conclusion are summarized: (1) During equinox the temperature maximum occurs after 1600 LT at the equator and shifts toward 1500 LT at the poles, while the oxygen concentration at 450 km peaks about one hour earlier. (2) There is general agreement between the magnitudes and phases of the diurnal, semidiurnal and terdiuranal temperature components at 450 km from theory as well as OGO-6 and radar backscatter measurements. (3) The maximum in the diurnal variation of He is observed near 1030 LT consistent with theoretical results which further emphasize the importance of dynamics and diffusion. (4) During solstice conditions the diurnal temperature maximum shifts toward later local times, in substantial agreement with radar temperature measurements. (5) the temperature-oxygen density phase difference at 450 km is observed to decrease with latitude from the winter toward the summer hemisphere, where oxygen may even peak after the temperature at high latitudes.

Mayr, H. G.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Magnetic control of the near equatorial neutral thermosphere.

Neutral density data between 400 and 500 km obtained with the Ogo 6 neutral mass spectrometer indicate that at all longitudes the daytime N2 and O densities have latitudinal minimums at the magnetic equator that are about 20 and 10%, respectively, below maximums observed between plus and minus 20 deg magnetic latitude. Our calculations suggest that this anomaly could result from latitudinal variations in ion drag associated with the 'equatorial anomaly' in F region ionization. At latitudes of enhanced electron density the energy flow from the dayside to the nightside of the earth is damped, and thus the amplitude of the temperature and density variations is enhanced, and the time of maximum is shifted to later local times.

Hedin, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1973

A neutral-atmosphere composition experiment for the Atmosphere Explorer-C, -D, and -E.

The neutral-atmosphere composition experiment instrumentation is designed to obtain in-situ measurements of neutral thermosphere composition from Atmosphere Explorer-C, -D, and -E. The system is based on previously flown OGO-6 and San Marco-3 composition instruments. The mass-spectrometer sensor includes a gold-plated thermalizing chamber and ion source, a hyperbolic rod quadrupole analyzer, and an off-axis electron multiplier. Automatic ion-source sensitivity control and pulse-counting techniques provide density measurement capability from approximately 125 to 1000 km altitude. The normal operating mode includes measurement at all masses in the range of 1 to 44 amu, with emphasis on hydrogen, helium, oxygen, nitrogen, and argon.

Pelz, D. T.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Role of gas-surface interactions in the reduction of OGO 6 neutral-particle mass spectrometer data

Data obtained with the quadrupole mass spectrometer aboard the OGO 6 satellite show the effects of significant surface interaction processes, including nearly complete recombination of incoming atomic oxygen on the walls of the instrument antechamber plus absorption and desorption of oxygen and carbon monoxide. The observed data are fit by solving the time-dependent continuity equations accounting for production and loss of atomic oxygen, molecular oxygen, and (in the case of mass 28) carbon monoxide. The surface parameters that best fit the data are selected and applied to the determination of ambient densities and their estimated errors.

Hedin, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Empirical model of global thermospheric temperature and composition based on data from the OGO-6 quadrupole mass spectrometer

An empirical global model for magnetically quiet conditions has been derived from longitudinally averaged N2, O, and He densities by means of an expansion in spherical harmonics. The data were obtained by the OGO-6 neutral mass spectrometer and cover the altitude range 400 to 600 km for the period 27 June 1969 to 13 May 1971. The accuracy of the analytical description is of the order of the experimental error for He and O and about three times experimental error for N2, thus providing a reasonable overall representation of the satellite observations. Two model schemes are used: one representing densities extrapolated to 450 km and one representing densities extrapolated to 120 km with exospheric temperatures inferred from N2 densities. Using the best fit model parameters the global thermospheric structure is presented in the form of a number of contour plots.

Hedin, A. E.↗