Solar System Laboratory Aeronomy by Electron Impact with Emphasis on Terrestrial Processes

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These investigators continue research in basic properties of atomic and molecular structure and reactions of interest to aeronomy. The work combines laboratory astrophysics with basic rate process models to provide broadly applicable methodology for the aeronomy and planetary atmospheres' communities. The PI will focus on electron excitation and photon absorption properties of atomic nitrogen, molecular nitrogen, and oxygen. In sum, he will: (1) perform high resolution absorption measurements to obtain accurate rotationally dependent electric dipole moments, applied to high resolution emission measurements for accurate definition of predissociation loss in band transitions; (2) measure electron excitation cross sections important to aeronomy, and establish a model structure for oxygen collisional and radiative systems; (3) establish an experimental setup for measuring atomic nitrogen electron impact cross sections, with an accompanying atomic model; and (4) reexamine the ionization-excitation cross sections of molecular nitrogen, and reconcile with existing accurate photoionization data.