Articles | Volume 12, issue 10/11
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00585-994-1071-7
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00585-994-1071-7
31 Aug 1994
31 Aug 1994

Effective energy loss per electron-ion pair in proton aurora

B. V. Kozelov and V. E. Ivanov

Abstract. Effective energy loss per electron-ion pair produced, <xi>(E0), as a function of a particle's initial energy has been obtained for proton transport in the atmosphere. The influence of some transport parameters on the shape of <xi>(E0) has been studied. Comparisons with the case of electron transport and with other results were made. It has been shown that: 1. for E0>1 keV, <xi>(E0) varies within the range 30-36 eV; 2. as E0 increases the value of <xi>(E0) tries to attain an asymptotic value that is the same as for electrons (≈35 eV); 3. <xi>(E0) strongly depends on the average energy of secondary electrons, but the energy distribution of secondary electrons is not as important. The range of possible changes in <xi>(E0) associated with discrepancies in cross sections has been obtained.