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Production of nitrous oxide in the auroral D and E regions

Nature volume 287, pages 525–526 (1980)Cite this article

Abstract

Metastable N2(A3Σu+) molecules are formed efficiently in auroral substorms by electron-impact excitation of N2. In the auroral D and E regions, N2(A3Σu+) molecules react rapidly with O2 to form N2O at a globally averaged rate that could be as high as 2 × 1027 s−1. We report here that in favourable substorm conditions, the N2O density at 100 km could be as large as 109 cm−3.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennyslvania, 15260

    E. C. Zipf

  2. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, 91103

    S. S. Prasad

Authors
  1. E. C. Zipf
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  2. S. S. Prasad
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Zipf, E., Prasad, S. Production of nitrous oxide in the auroral D and E regions. Nature 287, 525–526 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/287525a0

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