Modeling nightglow in atomic oxygen red and green lines under moderate disturbed geomagnetic conditions at midlatitudes

Abstract

We present results of a study of mid-latitude auroras. The study is based on optical measurements and theoretical modeling. The modeling shows that precipitation can indirectly generate airglow in red and green lines of atomic oxygen by increasing rates of ion formation and heating of thermal electrons. This causes an increase in the rate of dissociative recombination and thermal-electron-collision excitation of the 1D and 1S levels.

Keywords

• ionospheric disturbance
• upper airglow
• geomagnetic storms
• modeling