Local thermodynamic equilibrium of carbon dioxide in the upper atmosphere

Details Local thermodynamic equilibrium of carbon dioxide in the upper atmosphere Local thermodynamic equilibrium of carbon dioxide in the upper atmosphere

Mar 1992

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1992georl..19..589r&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters (ISSN 0094-8276), vol. 19, March 20, 1992, p. 589-592. Research supported by CICYT and Junta de And

Physics

37

Atmospheric Radiation, Carbon Dioxide, Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium, Radiant Cooling, Rotational Spectra, Upper Atmosphere, Vibrational Spectra, Atmospheric Models, Energy Budgets, Line Spectra, Spacelab Payloads, Thermosphere

Scientific paper

Experimental data from the Fourier spectrometer Atmos are employed to study the rotational and vibrational temperatures of the nu2 and 2nu2 modes of CO2 and revise their model calculations. The data are taken from the Skylab instrument at altitudes of 60-110 km, and the profiles for the modes are shown to be almost identical. The CO2(nu2) level is in LTE, and the CO2(2nu2) levels are close to LTE at heights up to the upper height limit of its retrieval. A non-LTE model employed to interpret the data indicates a fast rate for CO2(nu2) deactivation by atomic O, confirming that the radiative cooling in the upper atmosphere is higher than previously suggested. The present findings are of interest to the modeling of the atmospheres of Mars and Venus because they offer an explanation for the solar-cycle-related variations of the planets' thermospheric temperatures. Increased cooling by CO2 is compatible with the observed temperature field if the eddy-diffusion coefficients in the upper mesosphere are very low.

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