Resonance radiation of AlO from trimethyl aluminum released into the upper atmosphere

Rosenberg, N. W.; Golomb, D.; Allen, E. F.

doi:10.1029/jz069i007p01451

Cited by 26 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…These trails were released on the down legs of the rocket trajectories usually from altitudes near 200 km down to altitudes near 90 km. Data gaps caused by low optical densities in the midsections (e.g., 120-160 km) of some trails, presumably related to the dependence on ambient oxygen concentrations [Rosenberg et al, 1964], led to a switch to lithium trails in 1976. The multiple Li trails in 1979, noted in Table 2, covered different altitude ranges than previous trails; these were 160-290 km on April 15, 1979, and 100-525 km on April 18, 1979.…”

Section: Distribution Of Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermospheric winds at high latitudes from chemical release observations

Heppner¹,

Miller²

1982

J. Geophys. Res.

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Wind measurements from 39 chemical release rockets launched from auroral belt and polar cap sites between 1967 and 1979 are summarized and interpreted. Multipoint measurements between 200 and 320 km altitude were obtained from all flights by tracking the neutral strontium clouds produced as by‐products of Ba‐CuO releases. These releases, producing Ba+ clouds, also provided the simultaneous measurements of ion drift that are needed for wind analysis. Trail releases of trimethylaluminum and lithium provided measurements between 90 and 200 km from 19 rockets. The wind measurements at different local times and latitudes are disorganized when presented in geographic and solar local time coordinates. An organized wind system at altitudes above 160 km emerges when wind vectors are presented in magnetic local time and invariant latitude coordinates. The dominant role of electric field ion drag as a driving force and the inertial characteristics of the wind system are clearly illustrated when the wind vectors are superposed on model patterns of the global high‐latitude ion convection. At altitudes above the 110 km shear region and below a transitional zone in the 140–160 km range, relationships between the observed winds and the causative mechanisms become less apparent as a consequence of the slower response to changing ion drag conditions. A notable exception occurs in the polar cap where high velocity winds are observed at all altitudes under the influence of continuous antisolar ion flow. A key factor affecting the wind pattern is the formation of a pressure ridge along the interface zone between the polar cap and the auroral belt in the evening hours. Back pressures from this ridge suppress the Coriolis forces in the adjacent regions and contribute to the development of a dusk to dawn component in the antisolar polar cap flow. The observations clearly indicate that the antisolar polar cap wind loses momentum and deposits energy in the early morning auroral belt. At high altitudes (i.e., 160–320 km) there is directional continuity but a velocity loss as the polar cap wind inertially penetrates the morning auroral region. At lower altitudes (i.e., <140 km) the observations are less definitive but indicate that the wind is discontinuous along the morning auroral belt interface. In general, the observations do not reveal wind characteristics that can be attributed to pressure gradients from joule heating or heating by precipitating particles. A possible, but speculative, exception is that the perturbing effects of heating may explain why observed velocities tend to be lower than velocities calculated for model ion drag conditions. Other wind effects from high‐latitude heating apparently have less influence than the time‐space variability of the electric field and are thus obscured by these variations. The existence of the classical day‐night flow from dayside EUV heating is demonstrated by measurements from three rockets launched at subauroral latitudes on the dayside. The influence of this flow at higher latitudes is si...

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Section: Distribution Of Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermospheric winds at high latitudes from chemical release observations

Heppner¹,

Miller²

1982

J. Geophys. Res.

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“…Prompted by the successful generation of A10 from trimethyl aluminum (TMA) releases into the upper atmosphere [Rosenberg et al, 1964], it seemed probable that iron carbonyl, Fe(C0)5, hereafter called IC, may be a good precursor to Fe0. Both TMA and IC are known to have relatively weak M-C bond energies, amounting to 2.9 ev for A1-C [Coates et al, 1968] and 1.25 ev for Fe-C [Distefano, 1970].…”

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confidence: 99%

The release of iron carbonyl into the upper atmosphere

Best¹,

Forsberg²,

Golomb³

et al. 1972

J. Geophys. Res.

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Chemiluminescence and resonance fluorescence of FeO has been observed upon release of iron carbonyl into the atomic oxygen-rich region of the upper atmosphere. The FeO molecules are formed in a fast reaction between IC and atomic oxygen in the mixing zone surrounding the rocket. FeO does not persist to form a long-lasting wake, apparently since it reacts with another O to give Fe and O•. The upper atmosphere can be a convenient environment to study the formation, destruction, and radiation characteristics of some unstable molecular species that in the laboratory would suffer from the presence of walls, higher collision rates, or insufficient optical path. The molecule Fe0 is a case in point. Its emission spectrum has been observed in a flame of an iron arc in air, or when iron carbonyl is introduced into a flame [see, e.g., Pearse and Gaydon, 1950; Mavrodineanu and Boiteux, 1965]. However, little is known on the reaction of Fe0 with atomic oxygen or the resonance fluorescence emission when the molecule is irradiated. The irradiation effects particularly can be studied in the upper atmosphere.

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“… Larsen , 2002]. The TMA reacts with oxygen to create optical emissions [ Rosenberg et al , 1963, 1964]. and yields continuum emission.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Larsen, 2002]. The TMA reacts with oxygen to create optical emissions [Rosenberg et al, 1963[Rosenberg et al, , 1964.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New observations of artificial aurora associated with TMA releases

Gelinas

Siefring

Bernhardt

et al. 2006

Geophysical Research Letters

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An artificial aurora was generated during a trimethyl aluminum (TMA) release from the October 2000 TOMEX rocket launch. Cameras in several locations filmed the optical emissions, believed to be associated with small amounts of kerosene added to the TMA liquid. The geometry of the launch trajectory with respect to the magnetic field and camera viewing angles has provided new insight on the source of the emissions. Surprisingly, the aurora appears to be associated with the vertical footprint of the rocket, rather than the magnetic footprint of the rocket, as previously assumed. The new observations favor a generation mechanism involving large particles >1 μm falling to 90 km altitude.

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Resonance radiation of AlO from trimethyl aluminum released into the upper atmosphere

Cited by 26 publications

References 5 publications

Thermospheric winds at high latitudes from chemical release observations

Thermospheric winds at high latitudes from chemical release observations

The release of iron carbonyl into the upper atmosphere

New observations of artificial aurora associated with TMA releases

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