Alkali Chemistry Problems of the Upper Atmosphere

A study of the reaction NaO2+ O → NaO+ O2: Implications for the chemistry of sodium in the upper atmosphere

“…which is assumed to be generated entirely through (R2), occurs in wintertime at 40øN (70øN) from a layer at an altitude of 89 (88) km (that is, about 1 km below the atomic Na layer), with an FWHM of 7 (7) km and an intensity of 75 (103) R. These predictions are in good agreement with measurements of the Na nightglow using a rocket-borne photometer [Greet and Best, 1967], which revealed the peak of the emission layer at 89 km with an FWHM of 8 km. We have assumed a branching ratio (ct) of 0.1 for (R2), so that these calculated intensities are well within the range of observed nightglow intensities [Kvifte, 1973]. This simple treatment of the nightglow chemistry ignores the role of NaO(2Z +) [Herschbach et al, 1992], which remains to be quantified through future laboratory studies.…”

The Diurnal Variation of the Neutral Sodium Species in the Upper Atmosphere. A Model Study.

“…Megie and Blamont, 1977;Simonich et al, 1979;Clemesha et al, 1982;Granier and Megie, 1982). Although different mechanisms were originally proposed to explain the origin of this sodium layer (Kvifte, 1973), experimental evidence and present theoretical models favor a source from ablation of meteorites occuring between 80 and 100 km (Megie and Blamont, 1977;Gadsden, 1968;Hunten et al, 1980).…”

“…The existence of trace amounts of atomic sodium (Na) in the Earth's upper atmosphere was deduced in the earlier part of this century from observations P of nighttime airglow in the D lines of Na (Chapman, 1939, and references there given). Subsequent measurements of resonance radiation in the D lines were carried out at twilight and during the day by numerous investigators in the period prior to 1970 (see review by Kvifte, 1973). These measurements deduced the concentration of atomic sodium in a narrow layer centered at around 90 km.…”

Ozone decline and its effect on night airglow intensity of Na 5893 Å at Dumdum (22.5°N, 88.5°E) and Halley Bay (76°S, 27°W)

“…where M represents a third body required to carry away excess energy and momentum. K 1 , K 2 , K 3 , K 4 and K 5 are the rate co-efficients having numerical values 4 × 10 −11 cm 3 s −1 , 7 × 10 −33 cm 6 s −1 , 2 × 10 −33 cm 6 s −1 , 1 × 10 −11 cm 3 s −1 and 6.56 × 10 −12 cm 3 s −1 , respectively (Kvifte 1973). The airglow emission intensity of Na 5893Å line depends on the concentration of Na * ( 2 P).…”