Chemistry of sprite discharges through ion-neutral reactions

International audienceWe estimate the concentration changes, caused by a single streamer in sprites, of ozone and related minor species as odd nitrogen (NOx) and hydrogen (HOx) families in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere. The streamer has an intense electric field and high electron density at its head where a large number of chemically-radical ions and atoms are produced through electron impact on neutral molecules. After propagation of the streamer, the densities of minor species can be perturbed through ion-neutral chemical reactions initiated by the relaxation of these radical products. We evaluate the production rates of ions and atoms using electron kinetics model and assuming the electric field and electron density in the streamer head. We calculate the density variations mainly for NOx, Ox, and HOx species using a one-dimensional model of the neutral and ion composition of the middle atmosphere, including the effect of the sprite streamer. Results at the nighttime condition show that the densities of NO, O3, H, and OH increase suddenly through reactions triggered by firstly produced atomic nitrogen and oxygen, and electrons just after streamer initiation. It is shown that NO and NO2 still remain for 1 h by a certain order of increase with their source-sink balance predominantly around 60 km; for other species, increases in O3, OH, HO2, and H2O2 still remain in the range of 40?70 km. From this affirmative result of long time behavior previously not presented, we emphasize that sprites would have a power to impact on local chemistry at night. We also discuss comparison with previous studies and suggestion for satellite observations

Correlation Effects in a One-Dimensional Quarter-Filled Electron System with Repulsive Interactions

A one-dimensional electron system at quarter-filling has been examined by applying the renormalization group method to a bosonized model with on-site (U) and nearest-neighbor (V) repulsive interactions. By evaluating both normal scattering and Umklapp scattering perturbatively, we obtain a phase diagram in which a metallic state with a 2k_F spin density wave (k_F is the Fermi wave number) moves into an insulating state with charge disproportionation of a 4k_F charge density wave with an increase in both U and V. The effect of the next-nearest-neighbor repulsion is also discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, to be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 69 (2000) No.

Effect of the FACs distribution on the middle and low latitude ionospheric current patterns deduced by a 2-D ionospheric potential solver (GEMSIS-POT)

第2回極域科学シンポジウム/第35回極域宙空圏シンポジウム 11月15日（火） 国立極地研究所 2階大会議室前フロ

Effects of Next-Nearest-Neighbor Repulsion on One-Dimensional Quarter-Filled Electron Systems

We examine effects of the next-nearest-neighbor repulsion on electronic states of a one-dimensional interacting electron system which consists of quarter-filled band and interactions of on-site and nearest-neighbor repulsion. We derive the effective Hamiltonian for the electrons around wave number \pm \kf (\kf: Fermi wave number) and apply the renormalization group method to the bosonized Hamiltonian. It is shown that the next-nearest-neighbor repulsion makes 4\kf-charge ordering unstable and suppresses the spin fluctuation. Further the excitation gaps and spin susceptibility are also evaluated.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, submitted to J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Computer simulations on sprite initiation for realistic lightning models with higher‐frequency surges

[1] Computer simulations on transient luminous emissions in the mesosphere and lower ionosphere have been performed for realistic lightning modelings with fast-varying current surges (M components) superimposed on the lightning continuing current (CC). The algorithm used here is an electromagnetic (EM) code, which enables us to estimate self-consistently the reduced electric field, electron density, conductivity, and luminosity as a function of space and time by solving the Maxwell equations. It is found that M components in the CC with small amplitudes, but with a fast-varying EM effect, can initiate or enhance the occurrence of sprites. Even for a return stroke (RS) without CC, subsequent high-frequency current variations (like M components) are found to lead to dramatic changes in the sprite occurrence. The physics underlying these changes is studied by means of, e.g., temporal and spatial variations of luminosity, electron density, and conductivity. As the conclusion, the RS is a fundamental agency for spites, but high-frequency variations as EM effects exhibit an additional essential influence on sprite occurrence. These computational results are used to offer some useful ideas concerning the unsolved problems of sprites and halos, including polarity asymmetry, long-delay characteristics, and morphological shapes of sprites

Role of hydrogen bonding in charge-ordered organic conductor α\alpha-(BEDT-TTF)2_2I3_3 probed by 127^{127}I nuclear quadrupole resonance

We present $^{127}$I nuclear quadrupole resonance spectra and nuclear relaxation of $\alpha$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$I$_3$ that undergoes a charge-ordering transition. Only one of the two I$_3$ anion sites shows a significant differentiation in the electric field gradients across the first-order transition. The charge modulation only in the BEDT-TTF layers can not reproduce; instead, an anion-donor interaction accompanied by hydrogen bonding is necessary. The dominating source for the nuclear relaxation is the local libration of the I$_3$ anions, but an anomalous peak is detected just below the transition, as observed by $^{13}$C NMR.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.