On the interaction between gravity waves and the OH Meinel (6-2) and the O sub 2 atmospheric (0-1) bands in the polar night airglow

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA094iA05p05397· OSTI ID:5914903

Viereck, R A; Deehr, C S ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks (USA)

The effect of gravity waves on the OH (6-2) and O{sub 2} (0-1) airglow emissions was examined using spectroscopic airglow data from Longyearbyen, Svalbard (78{degree}N), and Fairbanks, Alaska (64{degree}N). The analysis was done by fitting a synthetic spectrum to the data to infer the rotational temperature as well as the band intensity of each of the emissions. Quasiperiodic fluctuations in the band intensity and rotational temperature are assumed to be a result of modifications of a stable airglow layer by gravity waves. The relationship of the fluctuations in band intensity to rotational temperature may be expressed in terms of the parameters {eta}, which is defined as the ratio of the amplitudes of the fluctuations in intensity and temperature, and {theta}, which is the phase angle between the fluctuations in intensity and temperature. These parameters were observed to vary with wave period for both the OH and O{sub 2} emissions. The variations in {eta}(OH) and {theta}(OH) agreed fairly well with the most recent models for waves with periods of about 1 hour or longer. None of the models agree with the observed values of {eta}(OH) and {theta}(OH) for short-period waves. For the O{sub 2} emissions, the observed values of {eta}(O{sub 2}) is generally 180{degree} which is expected from first-order linear gravity wave theory.

• OSTI ID: 5914903
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA) Vol. 94:A5; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AIRGLOW
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DATA ANALYSIS
ELEMENTS
EMISSION SPECTRA
FLUCTUATIONS
GRAVITY WAVES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MODIFICATIONS
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOMETRY
POLAR REGIONS
SPECTRA
SPECTROMETERS
VARIATIONS