Influence of the medium on the electromagnetic radiation spectrum of highly excited atoms and molecules

Abstract

The influence of neutral species in the E- and D-layers of the Earth’s upper atmosphere on the spectrum of the spontaneous emission (absorption) of Rydberg atoms and molecules for transitions that occur without changing the principal quantum number (Δn = 0) is examined. Along with the process of l-mixing, the splitting of orbitally degenerate states due to interaction with perturbing neutral species of the medium is taken into account. The possible types of radiative transitions between them are analyzed. It is demonstrated that, for principal quantum numbers of n = 10–30, decimeter-band radiation corresponds to transitions between the levels of split states, whereas meter-band radiation, to transitions between their individual components. It is established that, for these values of n, the ratios of the intensities of the decimeter and meter bands for Δn = 0 transitions to the intensity of IR radiation (Δn = 1) are 10−4 and 10−6, respectively. The issue of satellite signal phase shift because of multiple Raman scattering in the D-layer of the atmosphere is discussed.