HR: 0800h
AN: SA41A-1048    [Abstracts]
TI: Impact of E-Region Ion-Neutral Chemistry on SABER Measurements of 4.3 um Emission and the Retrieval of Kinetic Temperature and Carbon Dioxide
AU: * Mertens, C J
EM: c.j.mertens@larc.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Langley Research Center Atmospheric Sciences Division, 21 Langley Blvd., Hampton, VA 23681-2199 United States
AU: Richards, P G
EM: philip.g.richards@nasa.gov
AF: NASA Headquarters Code SS, 300 E St SW, Washington, DC 20546 United States
AU: Winick, J R
EM: jeremy.winick@hanscom.af.mil
AF: Air Force Research Laboratories, Hanscom Air Force Base, Hanscom, MA 01731-3010 United States
AU: Evans, D S
EM: david.s.evans@noaa.gov
AF: NOAA Space Environment Center, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80303 United States
AU: Cook, L J
EM: l.j.Cook@larc.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Langley Research Center Atmospheric Sciences Division, 21 Langley Blvd., Hampton, VA 23681-2199 United States
AU: Picard, R H
EM: richard.picard@hanscom.af.mil
AF: Air Force Research Laboratories, Hanscom Air Force Base, Hanscom, MA 01731-3010 United States
AU: Lopez-Puertas, M
AF: Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia (CSIS), Apdo. 3004, Ganada, 18080 Spain
AU: Wintersteiner, P P
EM: winters@arcon.com
AF: ARCON Corporation, 260 Bear Hill Road, Waltham, MA 02451 United States
AU: Russell, J M
EM: james.russell@hamptonu.edu
AF: Hampton University Center for Atmospheric Sciences, 23 Tyler Street, Hampton, VA 23668 United States
AU: Mlynczak, M G
EM: m.g.mlynczak@nasa.gov
AF: NASA Langley Research Center Atmospheric Sciences Division, 21 Langley Blvd., Hampton, VA 23681-2199 United States
AU: Gordley, L L
AF: G & A Technical Software, Inc., 11864 Canon Blvd., Suite 101, Newport News, VA 23606 United States
AB: The TIMED/SABER experiment is based on broadband limb emission measurements. Measurements from the 4.3 um channel, in particular, are strongly enhanced during nighttime aurora. Auroral particle precipitation increases the ionization of the neutral atmosphere, followed by fast ion-neutral exothermic reactions that produce vibrationally excited NO+ (i.e., NO+(v)), which promptly emits at 4.3 um. Therefore, SABER 4.3 um measurements provide a unique tool for observing and analyzing the E-region response to auroral particle energy deposition, as NO+ is the terminal E-region ion. We use SABER data products and 4.3 um measurements, the field-line interhemispheric plasma (FLIP) model, measurements of auroral particle energy characteristics from the NOAA/POES satellites, and radiation transfer algorithms to analyze the ion-neutral energy transfer mechanisms that produce NO+(v) and emission at 4.3 um during the April 2002 and October-November 2003 solar storms. Furthermore, since SABER kinetic temperature (Tk) and CO2 are simultaneously retrieved from the 15 um and 4.3 um channel measurements, respectively, NO+(v) 4.3 um emission can introduce biases in the SABER Tk/CO2 retrievals at polar latitudes even during quiescent conditions, with maximum biases occurring at summer solstice. Moreover, sensitivity studies are conducted to assess potential biases in SABER Tk/CO2 due to contamination by NO+(v) 4.3 um emission.
DE: 2407 Auroral ionosphere (2704)
DE: 2427 Ionosphere/atmosphere interactions (0335)
DE: 2455 Particle precipitation
DE: 0340 Middle atmosphere--composition and chemistry
DE: 0342 Middle atmosphere--energy deposition
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting