Auger processes in the optics of the upper atmosphere

This paper presents a review of studies carried out in Russia and abroad on the contribution of the Auger effect to excitation and ionization processes in the upper atmosphere of the Earth. Both model calculations and rocket and satellite experiments show the Auger effect to be the main source of energetic electrons with an energy from 315 to 510 eV, an essential source of doubly charged positive ions in the upper atmosphere, and the main source of the electronic excitation of these ions. Since the mass-spectrometric peaks from the N-2(2+) and O-2(2+) ions coincide with those from typical ionospheric N+ and O+ ions, the most reliable method for their identification is the optical detection technique. (C) 1998 The Optical Society of America. [S1070-9762(98)00211-5].