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NASA NTRS1984

Neutral Atmosphere Properties Determining D-region Electron Densities

The increasing discoveries of various manifestations of meteorological control of the D region ionization and the growth of techniques for its measurement provide a challenge to meteorologists to test their insight into middle atmosphere processes with the physical interpretation of D layer phenomena. Models for ion production due to photoionization of minor atmospheric nitric oxide by quasi-monochromatic solar Lyman-alpha radiation are presented. A ground based measuring technique using low frequency radio reflection heights is briefly described and an approach to the interpretation of data acquired by this method is discussed. It is shown that D region electron density variations can provide an efficient diagnostic tool for the detection of perturbations of the circulation state of the middle atmosphere.

Taubenheim, J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The zonal distribution of hydrogen in the Jovian atmosphere

The Lyman-alpha intensities measured by Voyagers 1 and 2 and by the IUE are used as the bases of deductions for the distribution of atomic hydrogen in the Jovian atmosphere, under the assumption that the sources of the dayside Lyman alpha include resonance scattering of solar Lyman alpha, resonance scattering of the interplanetary Lyman-alpha radiation, and direct excitation by charged particles. The daytime equation of radiative transfer is solved to determine the longitudinal distribution of freely scattering atomic hydrogen that would account for the observed flux. This solution indicates that if the hydrogen bulge is due to localized heating and a consequent increase in scale height, the perturbed region temperature must be about 100 K warmer than that in the normal region. The H distribution derived from the dayside solution is used with the nightside flux to estimate the longitude variation of particle precipitation on the nightside.

Killen, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The hydrogen coma of Comet Halley before perihelion: Preliminary observations with dynamics Explorer 1

The hydrogen coma of Comet Halley has been observed in resonantly scattered solar Lyman-alpha radiation during the period 1-29 January 1986 as the comet approached perihelion. These observations were obtained with the imaging photometer for vacuum-ultraviolet wavelengths on the spacecraft Dynamics Explorer 1. For the initial analysis of observations available in 17 orbits distributed throughout the period, least-squares fits are computed for the observed exponential decrease in brightness with radial distance from the nucleus. Brightness at the nucleus increased from approx. 3 to 17 kR during the observing period. Preliminary analysis yields water production rates of approx. 3.6 x 10 to the 29th power and 1.9 x 10 to the 30th power molecules/sec on 1 and 29 January, respectively.

Craven, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The hydrogen coma of Comet Halley before perihelion Preliminary observations with Dynamics Explorer 1

The hydrogen coma of Comet Halley has been observed in resonantly scattered solar Lyman-alpha radiation during the period 4-29 January 1986 as the comet approached perihelion. These observations were obtained with the imaging photometer for vacuum-ultraviolet wavelengths on the spacecraft Dynamics Explorer 4. For the initial analysis of observations available in 17 orbits distributed throughout the period, least-squares fits are computed for the observed exponential decrease in brightness with radial distance from the nucleus. Brightness at the nucleus increased from approx. 3 to 17 kR during the observing period. Preliminary analysis yields water production rates of approx. 3.6 x 10 to the 29th power and 1.9 x 10 to the 30th power molecules/sec on 1 and 29 January, respectively.

Craven, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Analysis of IUE observations of hydrogen in comets

The large body of hydrogen Lyman-alpha observations of cometary comae obtained with the International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite has gone generally unanalyzed because of two main modeling complications. First, the inner comae of many bright (gas productive) comets are often optically thick to solar Lyman-alpha radiation. Second, even in the case of a small comet (low gas production) the large IUE aperture is quite small as compared with the immense size of the hydrogen coma, so an accurate model which properly accounts for the spatial distribution of the coma is required to invert the inferred brightnesses to column densities and finally to H atom production rates. Our Monte Carlo particle trajectory model (MPTM), which for the first time provides the realistic full phase space distribution of H atoms throughout the coma was used as the basis for the analysis of IUE observations of the inner coma. The MCPTM includes the effects of the vectorial ejection of the H atoms upon dissociation of their parent species (H2O and OH) and of their partial collisional thermalization. Both of these effects are crucial to characterize the velocity distribution of the H atoms. A new spherical radiative transfer calculation based on our MCPTM was developed to analyze IUE observations of optically thick H comae. The models were applied to observations of comets P/Giacobini-Zinner and P/Halley.

Combi, Michael R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Detection of a proton beam during the impulsive phase of a stellar flare

A transient event consistent with the predicted temporal and spectral signatures of an energetic proton beam was detected in the impulsive phase of a small flare on the red dwarf star AU Microscopii. It consisted of a prominent increase in the flux in the red wing of Lyman-alpha near 1223 A, simultaneously with the peak of a flare observed in the 1206 A transition region line of Si III. The probability that the red wing event was a chance fluctuation is one chance in 2.5 x 10 exp 4. This observation represents a confirmation of the prediction by Orrall and Zirker (1976) in which downstreaming protons accelerated during the impulsive phase of a flare charge exchange with ambient neutral hydrogen and emit Lyman-alpha radiation from 1 to 15 A redward of line center.

Woodgate, Bruce E.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Photoejection with Excitation in H(-) and Other Systems

Lyman-alpha radiation, 1216 Angstroms , has been seen from the sun and from various astrophysical sources. This radiation arises from the radiative transition from the 2p(sup 2P) state to the 1s(sup 2S) state of the hydrogen atom. The 2P state can be excited from the 1s(sup 2S) state by electron impact. However, it is possible to produce this excited state by photodetachment of the H(-) ion, leaving the H atom in the 2P state. We have calculated cross sections for this process using Hylleraas-type functions for the H− ion and using the exchange approximation for the photoelectron in the final continuum states of angular momenta equal to 0 and 2. The photoabsorption cross sections in H−ions or He atoms leaving the hydrogen atom and helium ion in 2(sup 2S) are also calculated. Similar calculations havebeen carried out for the Li(+), Be2(+), and C4(+) ions.

photoejection↗
NASA NTRS2018

Hybrid Theory of Scattering and Its Applications

A number of formulations have been used to investigate scattering of low-energy electrons and positrons from various targets. The hybrid theory of scattering, which takes into account the short-range correlations, and is variationally correct, is described in this article. This approach has been applied to calculate phase shifts for scattering of electrons and positrons, resonances in two-electron systems, photo detachment, and photoionization of two-electron systems. This approach has also been applied to calculate excitation of 2s state of atomic hydrogen by electron impact. In photo absorption the target can be left in 2p state instead of 1s state, resulting in the emission of Lyman-alpha radiation. Cross sections for this process are also calculated.

Bhatia, Anand K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Redistribution of radiation for the wings of Lyman-alpha

Earlier work on redistribution of radiation by collisions for isolated lines is extended to overlapping lines, and an explicit expression for the frequency redistribution is given for Lyman-alpha. This expression is valid, even when the emitted photon is in the (non-impact) line wings. A simple physical explanation of the result is possible.

Yelnik, J.-B.↗
NASA NTRS1978

On the excitation of Lyman beta and Balmer alpha radiation by electron-impact dissociation of methane

The cross sections for the excitation of Ly-beta and H-alpha when methane is dissociated by electron impact have values of 17.1 by 10 to the -19th power sq cm and 26.0 by 10 to the -19th power sq cm, respectively, at an electron impact energy of 100 eV. These results are in disagreement with the implications of recent polarization measurements of H-alpha radiation that suggest negligible H(3p) excitation in the dissociation of CH4 by electron impact.

Mclaughlin, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Model development for Ulysses and SOHO

The purpose of this research is to provide scientific expertise in solar physics and in the development and use of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models of coronal structures for the computation of Lyman alpha scattered radiation in these structures. The specific objectives will be to run MHD models with new boundary conditions and compute resulting scattered solar Lyman alpha intensities, guided by results from the first series of boundary conditions.

Wu, S. T.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Altitude variation of EUV emissions and evidence for proton precipitation at low latitudes in the Saturnian atmosphere

Extreme ultraviolet observations of Saturn from Voyager 1 and 2 are analyzed. The Lyman alpha and H2 band emissions extend throughout the upper atmosphere, from the hydrocarbon homopause to well above the exobase. Analysis of the Lyman alpha emissions with a radiative transfer model indicates that the Lyman alpha source temperature is very high. This suggests that energetic protons or hydrogen atoms are responsible for a fraction of the emissions. Calculation of the solar-scattered component of the emissions based on the neutral atmosphere of Smith et al. (1983) reveals that only 1-2 kR out of a total of 3.5 kR of the observed Lyman alpha intensity is due to solar scatter for the Voyager 2 disk observations; the remainder of the Lyman alpha emissions are collisionally excited. The Lyman alpha and H2 bands are constant in longitude but decrease in local time by a factor of 2 from dawn to dusk. This correlation of the Lyman alpha and H2 band intensities is further evidence that most of the Lyman alpha is collisionally excited.

Yelle, R. V.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Analysis of coronal H I Lyman alpha measurements from a rocket flight on 1979 April 13

It is noted that measurements of the profiles of resonantly scattered hydrogen Lyman-alpha coronal radiation have been used in determining hydrogen kinetic temperatures from 1.5 to 4 solar radii from sun center in a quiet region of the corona. Proton temperatures derived using the line widths decrease with height from 2.6 x 10 to the 6th K at 1.5 solar radii to 1.2 x 10 to the 6th K at 4 solar radii. These measurements, together with temperatures for lower heights determined from earlier Skylab and eclipse data, suggest that there is a maximum in the quiet coronal proton temperature at about 1.5 solar radii. Comparison of measured Lyman-alpha intensities with those calculated using a representative model for the radial variation of the coronal electron density yields information on the magnitude of the electron temperature gradient and suggests that the solar wind flow was subsonic for distances less than 4 solar radii.

Withbroe, G. L.↗