Electron excitation and energy transfer rates for H2O in the upper atmosphere

TL;DR

This paper calculates electron energy transfer rates for water vapor in the upper atmosphere, considering electronic and vibrational excitations, aiding atmospheric modeling under auroral conditions.

Contribution

It provides new calculations of excitation rates for H2O based on recent cross section measurements, including secondary electron effects, advancing atmospheric energy transfer models.

Findings

Calculated excitation rates for electronic and vibrational states of H2O.

Included effects of atmospheric thermal and auroral secondary electrons.

Facilitated incorporation of water into atmospheric statistical models.

Abstract

Recent measurements of the cross sections for electronic state excitations in H2O have made it possible to calculate rates applicable to these excitation processes. We thus present here calculations of electron energy transfer rates for electronic and vibrational state excitations in H2O, as well as rates for excitation of some of these states by atmospheric thermal and auroral secondary electrons. The calculation of these latter rates is an important first step towards our aim of including water into a statistical equilibrium model of the atmosphere under auroral conditions.