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At least 163 records · Page 9

Observations of the O2 column density between 120 and 70 km and absorption cross section in the vicinity of H Lyman alpha

From solar spectra obtained during the re-entry of Calroc 4 the optical depth of the atmosphere in the wavelength interval 1213-1219 A has been obtained for altitudes between about 120 and 70 km. The data are consistent with the interpretation that molecular oxygen is the primary absorbing species under these conditions if the values of the O2 cross section in the 1216.2- to 1217.2-A region are approximately those of Ogawa (1968) and the O2 column densities in the 80-km region are approximately those derived from the 8-0 and 11-0 Schumann-Runge bands observed during the same flight.

Prinz, D. K.↗

Review of the absorption spectra of solid O2 and N2 as they relate to contamination of a cooled infrared telescope

During contamination studies for the liquid helium cooled shuttle infrared telescope facility, a literature search was conducted to determine the absorption spectra of the solid state of homonuclear molecules of O2 and N2, and ascertain what laboratory measurements of the solid have been made in the infrared. With the inclusion of one unpublished spectrum, the absorption spectrum of the solid oxygen molecule has been thoroughly studied from visible to millimeter wavelengths. Only two lines appear in the solid that do not also appear in the gas or liquid. A similar result is implied for the solid nitrogen molecule because it also is homonuclear. The observed infrared absorption lines result from lattice modes of the alpha phase of the solid, and disappear at the warmer temperatures of the beta, gamma, and liquid phases. They are not observed from polycrystalline forms of O2, while strong scattering is. Scattering, rather than absorption, is considered to be the principal natural contamination problem for cooled infrared telescopes in low earth orbit.

Smith, S. M.↗

Calculated rate constants for the reaction ClO + O yields Cl + O2 between 220 and 1000 deg K

Classical trajectory calculations are presented for the reaction ClO + O yields Cl + O2, a reaction which is an important step in the chlorine-catalyzed destruction of ozone which is thought to occur in the 220 and 1000 K. The calculated rate constant is 4.36 x 10 to the minus 11th power exp (-191/T)cu cm molecule (-1)s(-1) and its value at 300 K is 2.3 plus or minus 10 to the 11th power cu cm molecule (-1)s(-1), about a factor of 2 lower than recent experimental data. The empirical potential energy surface used in the calculations was constructed to fit experimental data for ClO, O2 and ClOO molecules. Other important features of this potential surface, such as the barrier to reaction, were varied systematically and calculations were performed for a range of conditions to determine the best theoretical rate constants. Results demonstrate the utility of classical trajectory methods for determining activation energies and other kinetic data for important atmospheric reactions.

Jaffee, R. L.↗

The reaction of N/2D/ with O2 as a source of O/1D/ atoms in aurorae

The source of O(1D) atoms in the auroral ionosphere is investigated using sounding rocket data. Previously, it has been shown that the conventional sources of O(1D) atoms in the aurora, dissociative recombination of O2(plus) and electron impact excitation of atomic oxygen, fail to explain the measured 6300 A volume emission rate profile. It is suggested that the atom-atom interchange reaction of N(2D) with O2 can be the major source of auroral 6300 A emission if O(1D) is created with high efficiency.

Rusch, D. W.↗

The effect of energetically produced O2/+/ on the ion temperatures of the Martian thermosphere

The heating rates and ion temperatures of the Martian thermosphere resulting from the thermalization of the energetic O2(+) ions produced by the reactions of the solar ionization products CO2(+) and O(+) with neutral particles are calculated and the effects of small magnetic fields on the ion thermal balance are investigated. The energy transfer and transport of energetic ions is modelled by solving the continuity equation for the ions over a series of finite energy cells yielding the equilibrium densities as a function of energy and altitude. Particles which are able to proceed upwards without collisions are dealt with separately from the continuity equation. It is shown that the thermalization of the energetic O2(+) ions can greatly increase ion temperatures above 200 km compared to those calculated for only ambient electron heating. Current solar wind interaction models predict that small horizontal magnetic fields act to restrict the ion thermal conductivity and to increase upper altitude ion temperatures. The combined effects of these processes provide a partial agreement with measurements made by Viking 1.

Rohrbaugh, R. P.↗

An experimental and theoretical study of the mean diurnal variation of O/+/, NO/+/, O2/+/, and N2/+/ ions in the mid-latitude F1 layer of the ionosphere

A theoretical model of the diurnal variations in the compositions of the ions O(+), NO(+), O2(+) and N2(+) in the midlatitude F1 layer is presented and compared with measurements made by AE-C. The theoretical model includes the rate coefficients and branching ratios for the dissociative recombination of NO(+), O2(+) and N2(+) with electrons and the ion-atom interchanges of O(+) with N2 and N2(+) with O. Input parameters to the model comprise measurements of ion and electron temperatures, neutral atmosphere composition, the solar EUV flux and the photoelectron spectrum. In general, model calculations are found to agree with satellite measurements, confirming the major ion sources and sinks of the photochemical model, which has an accuracy of + or - 60%.

Torr, D. G.↗

Two-dimensional O2 adsorbed on graphite

Properties of two-dimensional O2 adsorbed on graphite are calculated in the extremely low-coverage delta region and for monolayers, with use of pattern-recognition optimization and Monte Carlo techniques. Equilibrium configurations and orientations, orientational order-disorder, melting, and dissociation transitions are predicted at various O2 densities. Phase characteristics, including a plastic crystallite phase, are compared with experiment.

Etters, R. D.↗

Asymmetrical ClO3 - Its possible formation from ClO and O2 and its possible reactions

An analysis of recent accurate experimental studies of Cl2-photosensitized O3 decomposition, in which O3 disappearance and OClO formation were directly monitored, suggests the possibility that the suppression of the quantum yield in the presence of O2 may be due to the formation of asymmetrical chlorine trioxide (ClO.O2). Other intermediaries, such as Cl2O2, which may also form in the system are not thought to explain the observations. In addition to its capacity to oxidize, which it shares with other peroxo compounds, asymmetrical ClO3 appears to undergo an interesting class of reactions in which the loosely bound O2 adduct is relatively easily displaced by reactive atoms and radicals such as chlorine.

Prasad, S. S.↗

Dayglow emissions of the O2 Herzberg bands and the Rayleigh backscattered spectrum of the earth

It is pointed out that numerous fluorescent emissions from the Herzberg bands of molecular oxygen lie in the spectral region 242-300 nm. This coincides with the wavelength range used by orbiting spectrometers that observe the Rayleigh backscattered spectrum of the earth for the purpose of monitoring the vertical distribution of stratospheric ozone. Model calculations suggest that Herzberg band emissions in the dayglow could provide significant contamination of the ozone measurements if the quenching rate of O2(A3Sigma) is sufficiently small. It is noted that this is especially true near 255 nm, where the most intense fluorescent emissions relative to the Rayleigh scattered signal are located and where past satellite measurements have shown a persistent excess radiance above that expected for a pure ozone absorbing and molecular scattering atmosphere. Very small quenching rates, however, are adequate to reduce the dayglow emission to negligible levels. Noting that available laboratory data have not definitely established the quenching on the rate of O2(A3Sigma) as a function of vibration level, it is emphasized that such information is required before the Herzberg band contributions can be evaluated with confidence.

Frederick, J. E.↗

Predictions for partial and monolayer coverages of O2 on graphite

Monolayer properties of O2 on graphite are calculated using a pattern recognition, optimization scheme. Equilibrium monolayers are predicted at two different densities with properties in agreement with recent X-ray diffraction, specific heat, and neutron scattering data. Properties of the extremely low density regime are calculated using a model based upon a distribution of two-dimensional O2 clusters. The results are consistent with experimental evidence.

Pan, R. P.↗

The dissociative recombination of O2(+) - The quantum yield of O(1S) and O(1D)

Data from the visible airglow experiment on the Atmosphere Explorer-E satellite have been used to determine the quantum yield of O(1S) and O(1D) from the dissociative recombination of O2(+). A range of values between 0.09 and 0.23 has been obtained for the quantum yield of O(1S). It is shown that the quantum yield of O(1S) depends on the ratio of electron density to atomic oxygen density. This suggests that the quantum yield of O(1S) may depend on the degree of vibrational excitation of the recombining O2(+). The quantum yield of O(1D) has been measured to be 1.23 + or - 0.42, with no dependence on the electron-oxygen ratio.

Abreu, V. J.↗

O(1S) from dissociative recombination of O2(+) - Nonthermal line profile measurements from Dynamics Explorer

The measurements reported were made of the O(1S) emission line profile at 5577 A at high spectral resolution with the Fabry-Perot interferometer on the Dynamics Explorer spacecraft. It is found that the line profile has marked nonthermal characteristics in the nightglow. A simple collisional relaxation model is used to analyze the nighttime emission line profiles, measured in the equatorial region. The branching ratio is inferred for the dissociative recombination of O2(+) leading to O(1S). The result reveals that the O(1S) + O(1D) channel is favored over the O(1S). The result reveals that the O(1S) + O(1D) channel is favored over the O(1S) + O(3P) channel by a factor of 4; this does not agree with the ratio reported by Hernandez (1971). It is noted, however, that the result is consistent with the active channel for O(1S) production being via the 1Sigma u + repulsive state of O2, as suggested by the theoretical calculations of Guberman (1983). In addition, a value is obtained for the excitation exchange cross section for O(1S).

Killeen, T. L.↗

Interstellar O2. II - VUV oscillator strengths of Schumann-Runge lines and prospects for Space Telescope observations

Interstellar molecular oxygen should be detectable in interstellar clouds through observation of its absorption lines in the spectra of background stars. This paper describes and presents the results of measurements of oscillator strengths for some lines in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectrum of O2. Lines of the (13, 0) through (16, 0) bands of the B 3Sigma(-)u - X 3Sigma(-)g, Schumann-Runge system between 1760 A and 1790 A will be the most suitable for searches for absorption by interstellar O2 with the High Resolution Spectrograph on Space Telescope. The strongest lines in these bands have oscillator strengths of about 3 x 10 to the -5th.

Smith, P. L.↗

Brightness of the O2 atmospheric bands in the daytime thermosphere

The Fabry-Perot interferometer on Dynamics Explorer 2 was used as a low sensitivity photometer to study the O2 Atmospheric A band during the daytime. A study of the brightness of the emission showed that the assumed source of O2(b1Sigma g +) in the thermosphere, O(1D), can account for the observed intensity up to about 250 km but with a significantly different scale height. This combined with an enhanced brightness above this altitude suggests an additional source for this emission.

Skinner, W. R.↗

A study of the extreme ultraviolet spectrum of O2 by electron impact

The electron impact emission cross sections for O2 at 200 eV have been measured in the laboratory. Included in the study are all emission features in the extreme ultraviolet from 40 to 131 nm at a resolution of 0.5 nm. The features are entirely from the dissociation products (O I, O II, O III). Additionally, the excitation functions from 0 to 400 eV have been measured for characteristic O I multiplets at 98.9 and 102.6 nm and for O II multiplets at 53.9 and 83.3 nm. It is found that O I multiplets are formed near the dissociation limit whereas the O II multiplets have a threshold about 10 eV above the dissociation limit. The total VUV emission cross section of O2 is determined from 40 to 200 nm and the effects of autoionization to the measured emission spectrum are indicated.

Ajello, J. M.↗

Photodissociation of metastable O2(a 1 Delta g): Implications for stratospheric O3

The potential energy curves of Saxon and Liu (1977) are used to calculate nuclear radial wave functions for O2 in the a 1 Delta g and C 3 Delta u states. Franck-Condon factors are evaluated for both bound-bound and bound-free transitions. Observational values for the radiative lifetimes of discrete vibrational levels of the C 3 Delta u state are used to place constraints on the cross section for photodissociaation of a 1 Delta g. It is argued that the cross section for the dissociation of O2(a 1 Delta g) through the C 3 Delta u state is smaller by four orders of magnitude than values required by Frederick and Cicerone (1985) to resolve the apparent discrepancy between computed and measured concentrations for O3 in the upper atmosphere.

Dalgarno, A.↗

Dry etching of beta-SiC in CF4 and CF4 + O2 mixtures

Dry etching of cubic (100) beta-SiC single-crystal thin films produced via chemical-vapor deposition (CVD) has been performed in CF4 and CF4 + O2 mixtures, in both the reactive-ion-etching (RIE) and plasma-etching modes. The latter process yielded measurable etch rates, but produced a dark surface layer which appears, from the results of secondary-ion mass spectrometry, to be residual SiC. The RIE samples had no residual layer, but Auger electron spectroscopy did reveal a C-rich surface. The optimal RIE conditions were obtained with 10 sccm of pure CF4 at 40 mtorr and a power density of 0.548 W/sq cm, giving an etch rate of 23.3 nm/min. Neither the increase of temperature between 293 and 573 K, nor the incremental addition of O2 to CF4 to 50 percent, produced any strong effect on the etch rates of SiC during RIE. Pictorial evidence of fine line structures produced by RIE of beta-SiC films are also presented.

Palmour, J. W.↗

Thermospheric production of O(1S) by dissociative recombination of vibrationally excited O2(+)

High spectral resolution line profiles at 5577 A of the nighttime, F-region O(1S) emission measured by the Fabry-Perot interferometer on board the Dynamics Explorer satellite are analyzed using a continuous O(1S) relaxation model. The model is an improvement over the previous model of Killeen and Hays (1981) in that energy loss via elastic collision is considered in addition to the single collision, excitation exchange thermalization process. The results show that the active channel for O(1S) production is capture into the 1Sigma(+)u repulsive state of O2 and that the main contributor to its production is the dissociative recombination of O2(+) ions in vibrational levels v = 1 and 2 in agreement with the quantal calculations of Guberman (1983).

Yee, Jeng-Hwa↗