The twilight d-region and metallic ionization
Tipo
Artigo
Data de publicação
1975
Periódico
Journal of Atmospheric and Terrestrial Physics
Citações (Scopus)
1
Autores
Gough M.P.
Orientador
Título da Revista
ISSN da Revista
Título de Volume
Membros da banca
Programa
Resumo
Metallic ions exist in a narrow belt in the Earth's atmosphere in the altitude range 80-110 km. The photo-ionization of Sodium atoms can be an important source of ionization in the upper D-region during twilight. Sodium photo-ionization accounts for, on the average, between 18 and 64 per cent of the total twilight ionization at 90 km depending on the season. Maximum sodium ionization occurs around the month of January in the northern hemisphere. As the upper atmosphere sodium atoms are thought to sublime from extra-terrestrial dust, the twilight D-region should be very sensitive to extra-terrestrial dust influxes and periods of elevated atmospheric temperatures. None of the other metallic ions are likely to have any significant effect on the twilight D-region ionization. © 1975.