Artificial airglow due to modifications of the ionosphere by powerful radio waves

Abstract

A new model of the artificial airglow due to the ionospheric modification is proposed. The model is based on a recently developed nonlinear theory of stationary striations, which predicts a strong enhancement of the electron temperature inside the striations. According to our model the neutral species can be excited by the hot electrons inside the striations, which spread both upward and downward from the source region located between the radio wave reflection and the upper hybrid resonance point. The discussed model allows us to estimate the local electron temperature inside the striations, and to assess the intensity of red- and green-line emissions due to the excitation of O(1D) and O(1S) levels by the electron impact. These results are checked by comparison with the observations. Copyright 1997 by the American Geophysical Union.