This proposal requests support to study laboratory electron excitation cross sections and develop a new method for the study of ionization-excitation branching ratios for atmospheric species. Electron excitation and ionization of atmospheric constituents takes place in the atmospheres of Earth, the major planets and certain of their satellites, and objects such as comets. Knowledge of the electron impact and ionization processes is necessary to understand how rapidly electrons lose energy in aeronomical processes as well as what specific excitations they produce. During the period of the proposed grant, the atomic nitrogen and oxygen cross section sets will be obtained using a new type of atomic source currently under development and complete measurements on ionization branching ratios for N2 and other species will be carried out. It will be possible to provide a large amount of new cross section data to the aeronomy community as a result of work on this grant.
