Changes in the chemical composition of the atmosphere following intense ionization impulses

An analysis of contaminants generated at altitudes in and below the D layer of the ionosphere. It is found that the process by which free atoms of oxygen and nitrogen, entering the ambient atmosphere when electrons dissociatively recombine with positive ions, leads to the following: In the lower D layer, at fractional ionization levels greater than 10 (superscript)-9, the process introduces free atoms as contaminants, and nitrogen atoms oxidize to form nitric oxide on a relatively fast time scale. At slower rates, oxygen atoms react to form ozone. Finally, nitric oxide and ozone form nitrogen dioxide. The concentration and rate of formation is studied as a function of altitude and intensity of the initial impulse of ionization. It is found that for initial ionization levels greater than 10 (superscript)-5, the ultimate ozone and nitrogen dioxide concentrations are determined solely by the reaction rate coefficients and the ambient concentration of molecular oxygen, independent of the initial electron density. 28 pp.