The ionospheric source of the red and green lines of atomic oxygen in the Venus nightglow

Fox, Jane L.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2012.09.007

Cited by 34 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 100 publications

(131 reference statements)

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“…Thus, the realization that the O 2 visible nightglow may be as variable as the near‐infrared emission relaxes a fundamental impediment for a mesospheric green line, provided that this variability translates into simultaneous changes in the density of potential O 2 precursor states with energies more than 4.2 eV. The realization, however, is not sufficient to prove a direct connection between the O 2 and O nightglow emissions or to rule out the other mesospheric and ionospheric mechanisms for excitation of the green line proposed in recent years [ Slanger et al ., ; Slanger et al ., ; Fox , ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Limb imaging of the Venus O₂ visible nightglow with the Venus Monitoring Camera

Muñoz

Hueso

Sánchez‐Lavega

et al. 2013

Geophysical Research Letters

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We investigated the Venus O2 visible nightglow with imagery from the Venus Monitoring Camera on Venus Express. Drawing from data collected between April 2007 and January 2011, we study the global distribution of this emission, discovered in the late 1970s by the Venera 9 and 10 missions. The inferred limb‐viewing intensities are on the order of 150 kR at the lower latitudes and seem to drop somewhat toward the poles. The emission is generally stable, although there are episodes when the intensities rise up to 500 kR. We compare a set of Venus Monitoring Camera observations with coincident measurements of the O2 nightglow at 1.27 µm made with the Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer, also on Venus Express. From the evidence gathered in this and past works, we suggest a direct correlation between the instantaneous emissions from the two O2 nightglow systems. Possible implications regarding the uncertain origin of the atomic oxygen green line at 557.7 nm are noted.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Limb imaging of the Venus O₂ visible nightglow with the Venus Monitoring Camera

Muñoz

Hueso

Sánchez‐Lavega

et al. 2013

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…This strong variability was interpreted as a signature of a strong control by solar activity, suggesting a possible ionospheric origin of the emission (Slanger et al 2012). Fox (2012) noted that if the oxygen green line has an ionospheric source, the energy of the precipitating electrons should be high enough to allow them to penetrate below 150 km, so that the green line is excited but the 630.0 nm red line is collisionally quenched. The green line was detected again for the first time since 2004 by Gray et al (2014) who suggested that energetic particle precipitation is the main contributor to the nightside 557.7 nm emission (see Sect.…”

Section: Visible Nightglowmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To account for the average OI auroral emissions, the estimated precipitated energy flux was 2 × 10 −3 mW m −2 . Fox (2012) suggested that, in the presence of strong electron precipitation, the intensity of the green line on the nightside could intermittently increase by one of several chemical mechanisms, including electron impact ionization of O or CO 2 . The ions produced could interact with the neutrals to enhance the production of O( 1 S) atoms by dissociative recombination.…”

Section: Auroramentioning

confidence: 99%

Aeronomy of the Venus Upper Atmosphere

et al. 2017

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We present aeronomical observations collected using remote sensing instruments on board Venus Express, complemented with ground-based observations and numerical modeling. They are mostly based on VIRTIS and SPICAV measurements of airglow obtained in the nadir mode and at the limb above 90 km. They complement our understanding of the behavior of Venus' upper atmosphere that was largely based on Pioneer Venus observations mostly performed over thirty years earlier. Following a summary of recent spectral data from the EUV to the infrared, we examine how these observations have improved our knowledge of the composition, thermal structure, dynamics and transport of the Venus upper atmosphere. We then synthesize progress in three-dimensional modeling of the upper atmosphere which is largely based on global mapping and observations of time variations of the nitric oxide and O 2 nightglow emissions. Processes controlling the escape flux of atoms to space are described. Results based on the VeRA radio propagation experiment are summarized and compared to ionospheric measurements collected during earlier space missions. Finally, we point out some unsolved and open questions generated by these recent datasets and model comparisons.

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“…This means that various exothermic ion chemical heating rates, which depend on the plasma distribution within the ionosphere, are magnetically controlled. Here, for illustrative purpose, we evaluate the role of both O 2 + and CO 2 + DR as two of the most important chemical heating channels (Fox 1988), with the respective rate coefficients, branching ratios, as well as exothermicities adapted from Fox (2012) and Fox (2004). The sum of the O 2 + and CO 2 + DR heating rates is shown with the dashed-dotted line in Figure 3, red for CF and blue for NCF.…”

Section: Ion Chemical Heatingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Crustal Magnetic Fields on the Thermal Structure of the Martian Upper Atmosphere

Cui

Yelle

Zhao

et al. 2018

ApJL

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Using the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer data, we investigate the possible impact of crustal magnetic fields on the thermal structure of the Martian upper atmosphere. Our analysis reveals a clear enhancement in temperature over regions with strong crustal magnetic fields during two deep dip campaigns covering the periods of April 17-22 and September 2-8, both in 2015. Several controlling factors, such as solar EUV irradiance, relative atomic O abundance, and non-migrating tides, do not help to explain the observed temperature enhancement, and a magnetically driven scenario is favored. We evaluate the roles of several heating mechanisms that are likely modulated by the presence of crustal magnetic fields, including Joule heating, ion chemical heating, as well as electron impact heating via either precipitating solar wind electrons or locally produced photoelectrons. The respective heating rates of these mechanisms are substantially lower than the solar EUV heating rate, implying that none of them is able to interpret the observations.

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The ionospheric source of the red and green lines of atomic oxygen in the Venus nightglow

Cited by 34 publications

References 100 publications

Limb imaging of the Venus O₂ visible nightglow with the Venus Monitoring Camera

Limb imaging of the Venus O₂ visible nightglow with the Venus Monitoring Camera

Aeronomy of the Venus Upper Atmosphere

The Impact of Crustal Magnetic Fields on the Thermal Structure of the Martian Upper Atmosphere

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The ionospheric source of the red and green lines of atomic oxygen in the Venus nightglow

Cited by 34 publications

References 100 publications

Limb imaging of the Venus O2 visible nightglow with the Venus Monitoring Camera

Limb imaging of the Venus O2 visible nightglow with the Venus Monitoring Camera

Aeronomy of the Venus Upper Atmosphere

The Impact of Crustal Magnetic Fields on the Thermal Structure of the Martian Upper Atmosphere

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Limb imaging of the Venus O₂ visible nightglow with the Venus Monitoring Camera

Limb imaging of the Venus O₂ visible nightglow with the Venus Monitoring Camera