Semi-empirical electron impact cross sections for atmospheric gases

Abstract

The present paper summarizes conveniently the electron-impact cross sections for N2, O2, and O used in recent aurora and dayglow studies at the University of Florida. The cross section parameters in their present form are a natural outgrowth of (a) the availability of an increasing number of cross section measurements in the laboratory as well as field observations of spectral intensities, and (b) more realistic calculations.The values presented should serve as a useful interim reference list pending the full analyses of current extensive data. Their usefulness for practical applications to problems in aeronomy is enhanced by their integrable functional forms.