Kinetics of Suprathermal Atoms and Molecules in the Rarefied Planetary Atmospheres

Details Kinetics of Suprathermal Atoms and Molecules in the Rarefied Planetary Atmospheres Kinetics of Suprathermal Atoms and Molecules in the Rarefied Planetary Atmospheres

Dec 2008

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008aipc.1084.1047s&link_type=abstract

RARIFIED GAS DYNAMICS: Proceedings of the 26th International Symposium on Rarified Gas Dynamics. AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol

Other

Kinetic Theory Of Gases, Kinetic And Transport Theory Of Gases, Planetary Bow Shocks, Interplanetary Shocks, Ion-Molecule, Ion-Ion, And Charge-Transfer Reactions

Scientific paper

Ground-based and space observations have revealed that the upper layers of planetary atmospheres contain both a thermal fraction of neutral atoms and molecules with the mean particle kinetic energy corresponding to the local gas temperature and a suprathermal (hot) fraction of neutral particles with the mean kinetic energy much higher than the local atmospheric temperature. Atmospheric photochemistry and solar wind/magnetospheric plasma inflow play an important role in the formation of suprathermal atoms and molecules in the rarefied atmospheric gas. The current physical and mathematical models of suprathermal atom formation are presented. These models are used to investigate the formation and kinetics of suprathermal carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms in the upper atmospheres of Venus, Earth, and Mars where they are formed in significant amounts due to the atmospheric photochemistry. The role and input of such photochemical reactions as photo- and electron impact dissociation of the main atmospheric constituents as well as in the exothermic ion-molecular reactions including the dissociative recombination of the ionospheric ions into the formation of hot O populations in the upper atmospheres of the terrestrial planets are estimated.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Kinetics of Suprathermal Atoms and Molecules in the Rarefied Planetary Atmospheres does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Kinetics of Suprathermal Atoms and Molecules in the Rarefied Planetary Atmospheres, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Kinetics of Suprathermal Atoms and Molecules in the Rarefied Planetary Atmospheres will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1100041