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NASA NTRS1990

Polar thermospheric Joule heating, and redistribution of recombination energy in the upper mesosphere

Kellogg (1961), suggested that transport of atomic oxygen from the summer into the winter hemisphere and subsequent release of energy by three body recombination, O+O+N2 yields O2+N2+E, may contribute significantly to the so-called mesopause temperature anomaly. Earlier model calculations have shown that Kellogg's mechanism produces about a 10-percent increase in the temperature from summer to winter at 90 km. This process, however, is partly compensated by differential heating from absorption of UV radiation associated with dissociation of O2. In the auroral region of the thermosphere, there is a steady energy dissipation by Joule heating causing a redistribution and depletion of atomic oxygen due to wind-induced diffusion. With the removal of O, latent chemical energy normally released by three body recombination is also removed, and the result is that the temperature decreases by almost 2 percent near 90 km. Through dynamic feedback, this process reduces the depletion of atomic oxygen by about 25 percent and the temperature perturbation in the exosphere from 10 to 7 percent at polar latitudes. Under the influence of the internal dynamo interaction, the prevailing zonal circulation in the upper thermosphere changes direction when the redistribution of recombination energy is considered.

Mayr, H. G.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Monte Carlo simulation of vibrational relaxation in nitrogen

Monte Carlo simulation of nonequilibrium vibrational relaxation of (rotationless) N2 using transition probabilities form an extended SSH theory is presented. For the range of temperatures considered, 4000-8000 K, the vibrational levels were found to be reasonably close to an equilibrium distribution at an average vibrational temperature based on the vibrational energy of the gas. As a result, they do not show any statistically significant evidence of the bottleneck observed in earlier studies of N2. Based on this finding, it appears that, for the temperature range considered, dissociation commences after all vibrational levels equilibrate at the translational temperature.

Olynick, David P.↗

NASA NTRS1990

The pressure broadening of NO2 in the millimeter and submillimeter wave spectral region

Pressure-broadening parameters for 19 transitions of the millimeter and submillimeter wave spectrum of NO2 have been obtained experimentally. Results for broadening by N2, O2, and He are presented and compared with earlier theoretical calculations of the N2 and O2 parameters. A discussion of the relation between theoretical calculations and experimental measurements is presented.

Goyette, Thomas M.↗

NASA NTRS1990

A two-component volatile atmosphere for Pluto. I - The bulk hydrodynamic escape regime

The seasonal effects on Pluto's atmosphere of a simplified system of CH4 and N2 saturated over a solid solution are investigated, and the results are compared with previous CH4 models. It is found that bulk escape occurs for CH4 mole fractions less than 0.7 of Pluto's volatile reservoir. Greater CH4 abundance leads to diffusive separation during the escape of both species and an atmospheric mixing ratio of about Xc(0). If Xc(0) is in the range 0.02-0.10, Pluto's atmosphere remains largely intact at aphelion rather than virtually freezing out as it does for Xc(0) greater than 0.3 or less than 0.001, or form an atmosphere with only a single volatile gas. An upper limit for the CH4 mixing ratio is about 0.07 if N2 is the second gas. On the other hand, CH4 is the dominant surface constituent of the volatile deposit if Xc(0) is greater than 0.0001.

Trafton, L.↗

NASA NTRS1990

N2H(+) in warm and cold clouds

A topic of importance in both cometary and instellar astronomy is the N2/NH3 abundance ratio in star forming regions. A key test for solar system formation models is the N2/NH3 abundance ratio in comets, which are thought to be made up of material from the protostar nebula, and in molecular clouds, from which stars are thought to be approx. 0.1. The N2/NH3 abundance ratio has never been measured in the interstellar medium, but is estimated from theoretical models to be in the range of 100 to 200. If the theoretical models are truly representative of dense molecular clouds then the difference in the abundance ratios of N2/NH3 between comets and the ISM would imply that significant chemical processing must have occurred in the protostar nebula that somehow altered the amount of N2 relative to NH3. A systematic survey was made of star forming regions to establish N2 abundances and N2/NH3 ratios for comparison with cometary data.

Womack, Maria↗

NASA NTRS1990

Subsurface energy storage and transport for solar-powered geysers on Triton

The location of active geyser-like eruptions and related features close to the current subsolar latitude on Triton suggests a solar energy source for these phenomena. Solid-state greenhouse calculations have shown that sunlight can generate substantially elevated subsurface temperatures. A variety of models for the storage of solar energy in a subgreenhouse layer and for the supply of gas and energy to a geyser are examined. 'Leaky greenhouse' models with only vertical gas transport are inconsistent with the observed upper limit on geyser radius of about 1.5 km. However, lateral transport of energy by gas flow in a porous N2 layer with a block size on the order of a meter can supply the required amount of gas to a source region about 1 km in radius. The decline of gas output to steady state may occur over a period comparable with the inferred active geyser lifetime of 5 earth years. The required subsurface permeability may be maintained by thermal fracturing of the residual N2 polar cap. A lower limit on geyser source radius of about 50 to 100 m predicted by a theory of negatively buoyant jets is not readily attained.

Kirk, Randolph L.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Scatterers in Triton's atmosphere - Implications for the seasonal volatile cycle

Nitrogen and methane ices on the surface of Triton, Neptune's largest satellite, are exchanged between the summer and winter hemispheres on a seasonal time scale. Images of the satellite's sky obtained by the Voyager 2 spacecraft show the presence of several types of scattering materials that provide insights into this seasonal cycle of volatiles. Discrete clouds, probably composed of N2 ice particles, arise in regions of active sublimation. They are found chiefly poloward of 30 deg S in the southern, summer hemisphere. Haze particles, probably made of hydrocarbon ices, are present above most, but not all places. Recent snowfall may have occurred at low southern latitudes in places where they are absent. The latent heat released in the formation of the discrete clouds may have a major impact on the thermal balance of the lower atmosphere. Triton may have been less red at the time of the Voyager flyby than 12 years earlier due to recent N2 snowfall at a wide range of latitudes.

Pollack, James B.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Monte Carlo simulation of nonequilibrium shock fronts

A direct simulation of a shock-tube experiment carried by AVCO (pressure of 1 Torr and velocity of 6.4 km/sec), repeated by Sharma and Gillespie (1990), and used by Park (1988) to develop his two-temperature model, is presented. Results show that the electronic ground state of N2 is not in rotational nor vibrational equilibrium with that of N2(+). Moreover, a two-temperature model is inadequate to describe nonequilibrium flows behind shocks. The role of impurities is examined. It is shown that the effects of a small fraction of H2O are insignificant. Good agreement with the measurements of Sharma and Gillespie is indicated.

Olynick, David P.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Spectral fitting, shock layer modeling, and production of nitrogen oxides and excited nitrogen

An analysis was made of N2 emission from 8.72 MJ/kg shock layer at 2.54, 1.91, and 1.27 cm positions and vibrational state distributions, temperatures, and relative electronic state populations was obtained from data sets. Other recorded arc jet N2 and air spectral data were reviewed and NO emission characteristics were studied. A review of operational procedures of the DSMC code was made. Information on other appropriate codes and modifications, including ionization, were made as well as a determination of the applicability of codes reviewed to task requirement. A review was also made of computational procedures used in CFD codes of Li and other codes on JSC computers. An analysis was made of problems associated with integration of specific chemical kinetics applicable to task into CFD codes.

Blackwell, H. E.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Spectroscopy of comets

Observations of NH2, OI, CH, CO(+), CO2(+), H2O(+), and N2(+) in optical spectra of comets represent ionization and dissociation product abundances of N2, NH3, H2O, CH4, CO2, and CO. The primary objectives are to determine: (1) accurate production rates for the observed species, and (2) accurate relative abundances of condensates in a sample of comet nuclei. The ultimate goal is to constrain models of comet formation and chemical processing in the outer primordial solar nebula.

Wyckoff, Susan↗

NASA NTRS1991

Aerothermodynamic radiation studies

We have built and made operational a 6 in. electric arc driven shock tube which alloys us to study the non-equilibrium radiation and kinetics of low pressure (0.1 to 1 torr) gases processed by 6 to 12 km/s shock waves. The diagnostic system allows simultaneous monitoring of shock radiation temporal histories by a bank of up to six radiometers, and spectral histories with two optical multi-channel analyzers. A data set of eight shots was assembled, comprising shocks in N2 and air at pressures between 0.1 and 1 torr and velocities of 6 to 12 km/s. Spectrally resolved data was taken in both the non-equilibrium and equilibrium shock regions on all shots. The present data appear to be the first spectrally resolved shock radiation measurements in N2 performed at 12 km/s. The data base was partially analyzed with salient features identified.

Donohue, K.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The computation of C-C and N-N bond dissociation energies for singly, doubly, and triply bonded systems

The bond dissociation energies (D sub e) of C2H2, C2H4, C2H6, N2, N2H2, and N2H4 are studied at various levels of correlation treatment. The convergence of D sub e with respect to the one particle basis is studied at the single reference modified coupled-pair functional (MCPF) level. At all levels of correlation treatment, the errors in the bond dissociation energies increase with the degree of multiple bond character. The multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) D sub e values, corrected for an estimate of higher excitations, are in excellent agreement with those determined using the size extensive averaged coupled pair functional (ACPF) method. It was found that the full valence complete active space self consistent field (CASSCF)/MRCI calculations are reproduced very well by MRCI calculations based on a CASSCF calculation that includes in the active space only those electrons involved in the C-C or N-N bonds. To achieve chemical accuracy (1 kcal/mole) for the D sub e values of the doubly bonded species C2H4 and N2H2 requires one particle basis sets including up through h angular momentum functions (l = 5) and a multireference treatment of electron correlation: still higher levels of calculation are required to achieve chemical accuracy for the triply bonded species C2H2 and N2.

Langhoff, Stephen R.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Nitrogen escape from Mars

The mass spectrometer on the Viking spacecraft measured anomalous N-15:N-14 ratio of about 1.62 times the terrestrial value. This enhancement presumably results from differential escape of N-15. The escape of N is non-thermal and potential escape mechanisms include photodissociation, photoionization, and electron impact dissociative ionization of N2, and ion-molecule reactions and dissociative recombination of N2(+). The authors propose some calculations to explain the N ratio, but even with all escape mechanisms considered, the ratios don't balance. This leads to the assumption that some other escape mechanisms must exist that are unexplained.

Fox, J. L.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Recombination of N4(+) ions with electrons

Using a modified high-pressure-afterglow/mass spectrometer apparatus similar to that described by Lee and Johnsen (1989), spectroscopic observations of afterglow helium plasmas, with N2 as a minor additive, were carried out in order to verify the mechanism suggested by Bates (1991) for dissociative recombination of electrons with N4(+) ions. It was found that dissociative recombination of electrons with N4(+) ions results in the formation of N2 molecules in the C 3Pi(u) (v = 0,1) state, with the recombination rate coefficient of (2.6 +/- 0.3) x 10 exp -6 cu cm/sec at 300 K.

Cao, Y. S.↗

NASA NTRS1991

The temperature dependence of collision-induced absorption by oxygen near 6 microns

Coefficients for oxygen absorption in the infrared induced by collisions with O2 and N2 are reported over the range 1400-1800/cm and 225-356 K. These coefficients are used to calculate the absorption for O2 in air as a function of temperature and wavenumber, and comparisons are made with previous determinations. In addition, structured absorption features superimposed on the broad collision-induced absorption band, which were observed at all temperatures studied, are interpreted in terms of the presence of (O2)2 and O2-N2 van der Waals molecules.

Orlando, John J.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Upper limits on spacecraft-induced ultraviolet emissions from the Space Shuttle (STS-61C)

Results are reported from a search for band emission of N2, OH, O2, and NO in nightglow spectra obtained in January 1986 with the Johns Hopkins UV background experiment (UVX) flown on the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-61C) at an altitude of 330 km. The experiment consisted of two Ebert monochromators spanning the spectral range from 1200 to 1700 A at 17-A resolution and from 1600 to 3200 A at 29-A resolution. UV shuttle glow emission was not detected at a 330-km altitude with 3-sigma upper limits based on counting statistics on N2 LBH, O2 Herzberg, and NO delta, gamma, and beta of 5.3, 4.5, 0.6, 0.7, and 3.5 R of total band emission, respectively. The upper limit on the OH (A 2Sigma-u(+) - X2Pi)(0,0) and (1,0) band emission is 0.1 R. The branching ratio of the NO C2Pi state to the A2Sigma(+) state was determined from the UVX experiment by measuring the ratio of the total emission rate from the delta-band system to that of the gamma-band system. The branching ratio for the C2Pi state to the A2Sigma(+) state is 0.37 +/-0.03.

Morrison, D.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Electron-impact vibrational relaxation in high-temperature nitrogen

Vibrational relaxation process of N2 molecules by electron-impact is examined for the future planetary entry environments. Multiple-quantum transitions from excited states to higher/lower states are considered for the electronic ground state of the nitrogen molecule N2 (X 1Sigma-g(+)). Vibrational excitation and deexcitation rate coefficients obtained by computational quantum chemistry are incorporated into the 'diffusion model' to evaluate the time variations of vibrational number densities of each energy state and total vibrational energy. Results show a non-Boltzmann distribution of number densities at the earlier stage of relaxation, which in turn suppresses the equilibrium process but affects little the time variation of total vibrational energy. An approximate rate equation and a corresponding relaxation time from the excited states, compatible with the system of flow conservation equations, are derived. The relaxation time from the excited states indicates the weak dependency of the initial vibrational temperature. The empirical curve-fit formula for the improved e-V relaxation time is obtained.

Lee, Jong-Hun↗

NASA NTRS1992

On the thermal structure of Triton's thermosphere

The analysis of the Voyager 2 Ultraviolet Spectrometer solar occultation data obtained at Triton is consistent with a spherically symmetric, isothermal thermosphere above 400 km at T(infinity) = 96 K. A detailed calculation of energy loss processes in a pure N2 atmosphere indicates that solar heating, with calculated T(infinity) = 70 K, is insufficient to account for the inferred T(infinity) = 96 K. The magnetosphere must deposit twice as much power as the sun to heat the thermosphere to 96 K and generate the observed N2 tangential column densities above 450 km. The thermal escape of H and N atoms and the downward diffusion of N atoms to recombine below 130 km results in local ionospheric heating efficiency of 24 percent. An upper limit on the tropopause CO mixing ratio of 2 x 10 exp -4 is inferred in the absence of aerosol heating to balance its efficient cooling by LTE rotational line emission.

Stevens, Michael H.↗