N2O production by high energy auroral electron precipitation

K. Semeniuk; J. C. McConnell; J. J. Jin; J. R. Jarosz; C. D. Boone; P. F. Bernath

doi:10.1029/2007JD009690

N2O production by high energy auroral electron precipitation

K. Semeniuk, J. C. McConnell, J. J. Jin, J. R. Jarosz, C. D. Boone, P. F. Bernath

Chemistry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The Fourier transform spectrometer on SCISAT-1 observed enhanced concentrations of N2O above 50 km in February of 2004 and 2006 in the wintertime polar region. These anomalously high concentrations are associated with the transport of high levels of NOx in the polar night region from the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere in both cases following sudden warming events in the middle of January. The NOx is produced by auroral electron precipitation. Simulations using a middle atmosphere chemistry climate model show significant amounts of N2O are produced in the upper mesosphere from the reaction of NO2 and ground state atomic nitrogen. Thus, N2O acts as a signature of energetic electron precipitation. The model results exhibit polar-night-confined descent of NOx in the wake of sudden warmings and other dynamical regimes when the polar vortex intensifies at high latitudes in the mesosphere.

Original language	English
Article number	D16302
Pages (from-to)	-
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume	113
Issue number	D16
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD009690
Publication status	Published - 19 Aug 2008

Keywords

MIDDLE ATMOSPHERE MODEL
ODD NITROGEN
WINTER
THERMOSPHERE
VARIABILITY
MESOSPHERE
KINETICS
DRAG
GCM
NO2

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10.1029/2007JD009690

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title = "N2O production by high energy auroral electron precipitation",

abstract = "The Fourier transform spectrometer on SCISAT-1 observed enhanced concentrations of N2O above 50 km in February of 2004 and 2006 in the wintertime polar region. These anomalously high concentrations are associated with the transport of high levels of NOx in the polar night region from the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere in both cases following sudden warming events in the middle of January. The NOx is produced by auroral electron precipitation. Simulations using a middle atmosphere chemistry climate model show significant amounts of N2O are produced in the upper mesosphere from the reaction of NO2 and ground state atomic nitrogen. Thus, N2O acts as a signature of energetic electron precipitation. The model results exhibit polar-night-confined descent of NOx in the wake of sudden warmings and other dynamical regimes when the polar vortex intensifies at high latitudes in the mesosphere.",

keywords = "MIDDLE ATMOSPHERE MODEL, ODD NITROGEN, WINTER, THERMOSPHERE, VARIABILITY, MESOSPHERE, KINETICS, DRAG, GCM, NO2",

author = "K. Semeniuk and McConnell, {J. C.} and Jin, {J. J.} and Jarosz, {J. R.} and Boone, {C. D.} and Bernath, {P. F.}",

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doi = "10.1029/2007JD009690",

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T1 - N2O production by high energy auroral electron precipitation

AU - Semeniuk, K.

AU - McConnell, J. C.

AU - Jin, J. J.

AU - Jarosz, J. R.

AU - Boone, C. D.

AU - Bernath, P. F.

PY - 2008/8/19

Y1 - 2008/8/19

N2 - The Fourier transform spectrometer on SCISAT-1 observed enhanced concentrations of N2O above 50 km in February of 2004 and 2006 in the wintertime polar region. These anomalously high concentrations are associated with the transport of high levels of NOx in the polar night region from the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere in both cases following sudden warming events in the middle of January. The NOx is produced by auroral electron precipitation. Simulations using a middle atmosphere chemistry climate model show significant amounts of N2O are produced in the upper mesosphere from the reaction of NO2 and ground state atomic nitrogen. Thus, N2O acts as a signature of energetic electron precipitation. The model results exhibit polar-night-confined descent of NOx in the wake of sudden warmings and other dynamical regimes when the polar vortex intensifies at high latitudes in the mesosphere.

AB - The Fourier transform spectrometer on SCISAT-1 observed enhanced concentrations of N2O above 50 km in February of 2004 and 2006 in the wintertime polar region. These anomalously high concentrations are associated with the transport of high levels of NOx in the polar night region from the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere in both cases following sudden warming events in the middle of January. The NOx is produced by auroral electron precipitation. Simulations using a middle atmosphere chemistry climate model show significant amounts of N2O are produced in the upper mesosphere from the reaction of NO2 and ground state atomic nitrogen. Thus, N2O acts as a signature of energetic electron precipitation. The model results exhibit polar-night-confined descent of NOx in the wake of sudden warmings and other dynamical regimes when the polar vortex intensifies at high latitudes in the mesosphere.

KW - MIDDLE ATMOSPHERE MODEL

KW - ODD NITROGEN

KW - WINTER

KW - THERMOSPHERE

KW - VARIABILITY

KW - MESOSPHERE

KW - KINETICS

KW - DRAG

KW - GCM

KW - NO2

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U2 - 10.1029/2007JD009690

DO - 10.1029/2007JD009690

M3 - Article

SN - 0148-0227

VL - 113

SP - -

JO - Journal of Geophysical Research

JF - Journal of Geophysical Research

IS - D16

M1 - D16302

ER -

N2O production by high energy auroral electron precipitation

Abstract

Keywords

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