The effect of diffusion processes on the hydrogen and oxygen constituents in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere

Abstract

The height distributions of the ten constituents O( 3P), O( 1D) , O 2, O 3, OH, HO 2, H 2O 2, H and H 2 in the height range 60–120 km are obtained by solving the diffusion and continuity equations. Account is taken of both eddy and molecular diffusion, and use is made of recent revisions in rate-coefficient data. Particular attention is paid to constituents O( 3P) , O 3, OH and H 2O. For these constituents, studies are made of the changes from the distributions corresponding to photochemical equilibrium, and the effects of changing the intensity of solar radiation and the water mixing ratio at 60 km. For O 3, O( 3P) and H 2O the rates of the main production and loss reactions at different heights are also examined.