CEDAR: The Coupled OH Meinel and O2 Atmospheric Band Nightglow Emissions

授予SRI国际的这一奖项(Konstantinos Kalogerakis博士)将支持根据新的实验室结果对中间层和低热层化学进行定量重新评估。从空间和地面仪器观测到的夜辉发射特征通常被用作大气成分的替代物，特别是对于难以现场研究的100公里左右的高度区域。通过遥感监测这类替代物的强度和时间演变是研究这一大气层区域发生的许多现象的首选方法。该奖项将支持对与激发的原子和分子前体的产生和损失有关的细节进行量化重新分析，这些前体是导致显著的夜辉排放的原因。这些结果将更准确地量化大气组成、辐射和能量平衡、波的传播和耗散以及传输动力学的研究。一个或两个本科生将通过授予SRI国际的SITE REU补助金从事这项工作。由该奖项支持的这次重新评估的主要目的是调查OH Meinel和O2大气带发射之间的耦合，这与O原子与振动激发的OH的碰撞有关。这项研究的一部分将利用从多个探空火箭实验中获得的观测数据集，这些数据集将与基于新实验室发现的最近开发的建模方法相结合。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award to SRI International (Dr. Konstantinos Kalogerakis) will support the quantitative reevaluation of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere chemistry based upon new laboratory results. Nightglow emission signatures observed from space and ground-based instruments are commonly used as proxies for atmospheric composition, especially for the altitude region around 100 km that cannot be easily studied in situ. Monitoring the intensity and temporal evolution of such proxies by remote sensing is the method of choice to study many phenomena occurring in this region of the atmosphere. This award would support the quantitative reanalysis of the details relevant to the production and loss of excited atomic and molecular precursors responsible for prominent nightglow emissions. These results would quantify more precisely the study of atmospheric composition, radiative and energy balance, wave propagation and dissipation, as well as transport dynamics. One or two undergraduate students would be engaged in this work through a site REU grant awarded to SRI International.The thrust of this reevaluation to be supported by this award would be aimed at the investigation of the coupling between the OH Meinel and the O2 Atmospheric band emissions, which is connected to the collisions of O atoms with vibrationally excited OH. Part of this study would utilize observational data sets derived from multiple sounding rocket experiments that would be combined with modeling methodologies based upon recently developed efforts based upon new laboratory findings.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.