Unterguggenberger, S, Noll, S, Feng, W orcid.org/0000-0002-9907-9120 et al. (5 more authors) (2017) Measuring FeO variation using astronomical spectroscopic observations. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 17 (6). pp. 4177-4187. ISSN 1680-7316
Abstract
Airglow emission lines of OH, O₂, O and Na are commonly used to probe the MLT (mesosphere–lower thermosphere) region of the atmosphere. Furthermore, molecules like electronically excited NO, NiO and FeO emit a (pseudo-) continuum. These continua are harder to investigate than atomic emission lines. So far, limb-sounding from space and a small number of ground-based low-to-medium resolution spectra have been used to measure FeO emission in the MLT. In this study the medium-to-high resolution echelle spectrograph X-shooter at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in the Chilean Atacama Desert (24°37′ S, 70°24′ W; 2635 m) is used to study the FeO pseudo-continuum in the range from 0.5 to 0.72 µm based on 3662 spectra. Variations of the FeO spectrum itself, as well as the diurnal and seasonal behaviour of the FeO and Na emission intensities, are reported. These airglow emissions are linked by their common origin, meteoric ablation, and they share O₃ as a common reactant. Major differences are found in the main emission peak of the FeO airglow spectrum between 0.58 and 0.61 µm, compared with a theoretical spectrum. The FeO and Na airglow intensities exhibit a similar nocturnal variation and a semi-annual seasonal variation with equinoctial maxima. This is satisfactorily reproduced by a whole atmosphere chemistry climate model, if the quantum yields for the reactions of Fe and Na with O₃ are 13 ± 3 and 11 ± 2 % respectively. However, a comparison between the modelled O₃ in the upper mesosphere and measurements of O₃ made with the SABER satellite instrument suggests that these quantum yields may be a factor of -2 smaller.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Chemistry (Leeds) > Physical Chemistry (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 17 Mar 2017 11:57 |
Last Modified: | 23 Jun 2023 22:25 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-4177-2017 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | European Geosciences Union (EGU) |
Identification Number: | 10.5194/acp-17-4177-2017 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:113699 |