Influence of surface recombination in satellite atomic oxygen measurements inferred from the AEROS‐A mass spectrometer

Abstract

Although the assumption of complete and immediate recombination of atmospheric atomic oxygen at the surfaces of the open ion source of the AEROS‐A mass spectrometer is reasonable below 300 km, application of this assumption at higher altitudes results in a substantial underestimation of the ambient density of atomic oxygen. A two layer surface model seems necessary to explain the observations. Parameters for several surface reaction processes are estimated.