Mesospheric nitric-oxide concentrations during a PCA

Abstract

Atmospheric nitric oxide plays a highly significant role in the formation of the ionospheric D and E regions. Measurements of its atmospheric concentration and variability are required, therefore, to determine ionospheric behavior. An upper limit to nitric-oxide concentrations was first set by Jursa et al. [1959] Determinations of NO concentrations from rocket-borne ultra-violet spectrometer measurements of the nitric-oxide gamma bands were subsequently reported by Barth [1966] Pearce [1969] and Meira [1971] Apparently, when Rayleigh scattering is properly subtracted from the emission-rate profiles, the NO-concentration profiles derived by Barth and by Pearce can be brought more in line with those of Meira [1971]