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Observation of O+ 4P-4D0 lines in proton aurora over Svalbard

Abstract

Spectra of a proton aurora event show lines of O+ 4P-4D0 multiplet (4639–4696 Å) enhanced relative to the N2 +1N(0,2) compared to normal electron aurora. Conjugate satellite particle measurements are used as input to electron and proton transport models, to show that p/H precipitation is the dominant source of both the O+ and N2 +1N emissions. The emission cross-section of the multiplet in p collisions with O and O2 estimated from published work does not explain the observed O+ brightness, suggesting a higher emission cross-section for low energy p impact on O

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