Singlet oxygen O2(b1Σ g + ) production at altitudes of the polar ionosphere

Abstract

The relative rate constants of O2(b1Σ + , v= 1–4) production at an inelastic interaction between electronically excited N(2D) atoms and O2(X3Σ − , v = 0) oxygen molecules have been calculated. It was shown that an increase in equilibrium distances between oxygen atoms in NO2 quasi-molecule, produced during the interaction, substantially increases the calculated relative production rates of O2(b1Σ + , v > 1). The obtained coefficients are used to calculate the O2(b1Σ + , v= 1–4) relative populations at 110 km (T = 250 K) and 150 km (T = 500 K) altitudes of the polar ionosphere. The calculated populations have been compared with the results of the published measurements of the Atmospheric system band luminosity intensities, and satisfactory agreement has been obtained for low altitudes.