Self-absorption theory applied to rocket measurements of the nitric oxide (1,0)[gamma] band in the daytime thermosphere

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/92JA00993· OSTI ID:6967541

Eparvier, F G; Barth, C A ^[1]

---

1. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder (United States)

Sounding rocket observations of the ultraviolet fluorescent emissions of the nitric oxide molecule in the lower thermospheric dayglow are described and analyzed. The rocket experiment was an ultraviolet spectrometer which took limb-viewing spectra of the dayglow between 90- and 185- km altitude in the spectral region from 2120 to 2505 [angstrom] with a resolution of 2.0 [angstrom]. The flight occurred at local noon on March 7, 1989, from Poker Flat, Alaska. Several NO[gamma] bands were visible at all altitudes of the flight, along with emission features of N[sub 2], O[sup +], and N[sup +]. The data for the NO (1,0) and (0,1)[gamma] bands were modeled with optically thin synthetic spectra and used as diagnostics of nitric oxide concentrations. The resonant NO (1,0)[gamma] band emissions were shown to be attenuated at low altitudes relative to the expected emission rates predicted from comparison with the nonresonant (0,1)[gamma] band. Inversion of the optically thin data resulted in a peak nitric oxide concentration of 3.1x10[sup 8] cm[sup [minus]3] at an altitude of 100km. A self-absorption model using Holstein transmission functions was developed and applied to the (1,0) [gamma] band observation. The model results agree with the measured attenuation of the band, indicating the necessity of including self-absorption theory in the analysis of satellite and rocket limb data of NO. The success of the model also confirms the value adopted for the absorption oscillator strength of the (1,0)[gamma] band transition and the instrument calibration.

• OSTI ID: 6967541
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 97:A9; ISSN JGREA2; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661320* -- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AIRGLOW
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DATA ANALYSIS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EVALUATION
IONIC COMPOSITION
IONIZATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MOLECULES
NITRIC OXIDE
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
OSCILLATOR STRENGTHS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
ROCKETS
SPECTRA
THERMOSPHERE
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA