Observation of O+4P-4D0 lines in proton aurora over Svalbard

Abstract

Spectra of a proton aurora event show lines of O+4P-4D0 multiplet (4639-4696 Å) enhanced relative to the N2+1N(0,2) compared to normal electron aurora. Conjugate satellite particle measurements are used as input to electron and proton transport models, to show that p/H precipitation is the dominant source of both the O+ and N2+1N emissions. The emission cross-section of the multiplet in p collisions with O and O2 estimated from published work does not explain the observed O+ brightness, suggesting a higher emission cross-section for low energy p impact on O. Copyright 2004 by the American Geophysical Union.