Laboratory Studies of Atomic Collision Processes of Atmospheric Interest

William Marsh Rice University, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

Accurate cross section data are essential for detailed modeling of the behavior of the upper atmosphere. This directly addresses this need by seeking to provide data for atmospheric species at the relevant energies. Experiments will be continued on collisions of keV-energy oxygen and hydrogen atoms and ions with atomic oxygen and atomic hydrogen and on electron-impact ionization of molecules. A new experiment to measure charge transfer cross sections for oxygen ions with atmospheric species at energies down to a few electron-volts is also proposed.