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Donahue, T. M.

Publications and source records attributed to Donahue, T. M..

At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1972

Stability of the Martian atmosphere

A detailed chemical dynamic model is presented for a moist Martian atmosphere. Recombination of CO2 is catalyzed by trace amount of H2O. The abundances of CO and O2 should vary in response to changes in atmospheric H2O and atmospheric mixing.

Mcelroy, M. B.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Analysis of Ogo 6 observations of the O I 5577-A tropical nightglow.

Atomic oxygen green line data from the horizon scanning photometer on Ogo 6 have been examined. Unfolding the satellite data from the tropical F region yields altitude and latitude variations of the O(1S) emissions. The spatial variations of the tropical F-region electron density are then calculated by assuming dissociative recombination and using a model atmosphere. Where comparisons to ground based data are possible the results are good. Thus, the satellite observations constitute a form of topside sounding of the ionosphere below the F peak and provide synoptic data about this portion of the ionosphere that are otherwise impractical to obtain.

Thomas, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

N2 positive and N2/+/ band systems and the energy spectra of auroral electrons.

Use of the relative emission rates of the auroral N2 positive and N2(+) band systems to limit the permissible range of differential electron fluxes in auroras, due to remarkable differences in electron excitation functions for the two kinds of systems. Use of recently measured electron cross sections and many observational data from ground based and rocket studies shows that the results are consistent with spectra equivalent to a power law E to the minus 1.4 power for primaries and secondaries combined. The unified primary spectra of Rees (1969) and secondary spectra of Rees et al. (1969) fail seriously to predict the optical ratios. It is shown that Rees' primary spectrum is deficient in slow primaries, owing to the use of defective Monte Carlo results of Maeda (1965). Doubt is thereby cast on the validity of experimental results for the differential spectrum below 50 eV reported by Feldman et al. (1971) because of the rapid decrease in flux with energy shown by those measurements.

Shemansky, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Analysis of OGO-6 observations of the 0 I 5577A tropical nightglow

Atomic oxygen green line data from the horizon scanning photometer on OGO-6 was examined. Unfolding the satellite data from the tropical F-region yields altitude and latitude variations of the O(1S) emissions. The spatial variations of the tropical F-region electron density are then calculated by assuming dissociative recombination and using a model atmosphere. Where comparisons to ground-based data are possible the results are good. Thus, the satellite observations constitute a form of topside sounding of the ionosphere below the F-peak and provide synoptic data about this portion of the ionsphere otherwise impractical to obtain.

Thomas, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Positive ion chemistry of the D and E regions.

A comparison of ion-molecule reaction rates implied by E- and F-region chemistry and measured in the laboratory shows on the whole good agreement except that the ionospheric analysis demands stronger temperature dependences. In the daytime D region, it is claimed that the reconciliation of positive ion densities with production rates and laboratory rate constants would best be achieved if (1) ionization of O2(1 delta g) and hydration of O4(+) in competition with the reduction of O4(+) to O2(+) by O were the dominant source of hydrates between 85 and 77 km, (2) ionization of NO by solar Lyman alpha followed by hydration was the dominant source of hydrates below 77 km, and (3) for some reason, Lyman alpha did not ionize NO effectively at pressures below those prevailing at 75 km.

Donahue, T. M.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Deactivation of N2 A/super 3/Sigma/sub u/+ molecules in the aurora.

Recent rocket observations of the molecular nitrogen Vegard-Kaplan system in the aurora have been reinterpreted using an atmospheric model based on mass spectrometer measurements in an aurora of similar intensity at the same time of year. It is found that the population rates of the considered levels in the aurora are accurately determined by radiative cascade from two other states excited by direct electron impact. In some bright auroras the role of NO in quenching the lower vibrational levels of the A state is significant. The conclusions are based on a number of relevant auroral observations in combination with calculations using electron cross section and transition probability measurements by Shemansky and Broadfoot (1971).

Shemansky, D. E.↗