TY - JOUR
T1 - Global observations of nitric oxide in the thermosphere
AU - Barth, C. A.
AU - Mankoff, K. D.
AU - Bailey, S. M.
AU - Solomon, S. C.
PY - 2003/1
Y1 - 2003/1
N2 - Nitric oxide density in the lower thermosphere (97-150 km) has been measured from the polar-orbiting Student Nitric Oxide Explorer (SNOE) satellite as a function of latitude, longitude, and altitude for the 2 1/2 year period from 11 March 1998 until 30 September 2000. The observations show that the maximum density occurs near 106-110 km and that the density is highly variable. The nitric oxide density at low latitudes correlates well with the solar soft X-ray irradiance (2-7 nm), indicating that it is the solar X-rays that produce thermospheric nitric oxide at low and midlatitudes. Nitric oxide is produced at auroral latitudes (60°-70° geomagnetic) by the precipitation of electrons (1-10 keV) into the thermosphere. During high geomagnetic activity, increased nitric oxide may be present at midlatitudes as the result of meridional winds that carry the nitric oxide equatorward.
AB - Nitric oxide density in the lower thermosphere (97-150 km) has been measured from the polar-orbiting Student Nitric Oxide Explorer (SNOE) satellite as a function of latitude, longitude, and altitude for the 2 1/2 year period from 11 March 1998 until 30 September 2000. The observations show that the maximum density occurs near 106-110 km and that the density is highly variable. The nitric oxide density at low latitudes correlates well with the solar soft X-ray irradiance (2-7 nm), indicating that it is the solar X-rays that produce thermospheric nitric oxide at low and midlatitudes. Nitric oxide is produced at auroral latitudes (60°-70° geomagnetic) by the precipitation of electrons (1-10 keV) into the thermosphere. During high geomagnetic activity, increased nitric oxide may be present at midlatitudes as the result of meridional winds that carry the nitric oxide equatorward.
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U2 - 10.1029/2002JA009458
DO - 10.1029/2002JA009458
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:2542432416
VL - 108
JO - Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
JF - Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
SN - 2169-9380
IS - A1
M1 - 1027
ER -