Study of a sector spectrophotometer and auroral O/sup +/(2P--2D) emissions
The metastable OH(2P--2D) auroral emission was investigated. The neighboring OH contaminants and low intensity levels of the emission itself necessitated the evolution of an instrument capable of separating the emission from the contaminants and having a high sensitivity in the wavelength region of interest. A new type of scanning photometer was developed, and its properties are discussed. The theoretical aspects of auroral electron interaction with atomic oxygen and the resultant O/sup +/(2P--2D) emissions were examined in conjunction with N2/sup +/1NEG emissions. Ground based measurements of O/sup +/(2P-2D) auroral emission intensities were made using the spatial scanning photometer (sector spectrophotometer). Simultaneous measurements of N2/sup +/NEG/sub 1,0/ emission intensity were made in the same field of view using a tilting photometer. Time histories of the ratio of these two emissions made in the magnetic zenith during auroral breakup periods are given. Theories of I/sub 73/1/sub 9//I/sub 4278/ of previous investigators were presented. A rocket measurement of N/sub 2//sup +/1NEG/sub 0,0/ and O/sup +/(2P--2D) emission in aurora was examined in detail and was found to agree with the ground-based measurements. Theoretical examination resulted in the deduction of the electron impact efficiency generating O/sup +/(2P) and also suggests a large source of O/sup +/(2P) at low altitude. A possible source is charge exchange of N/sup +/(1S) with O I(3P). (auth)
- Research Organization:
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Huntsville, Ala. (USA). George C. Marshall Space Flight Center
- OSTI ID:
- 7327938
- Report Number(s):
- N-76-18725; NASA-TN-D-8143; TRN: 77-003856
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAE
EMISSION SPECTRA
NITROGEN IONS
OXYGEN IONS
CHARGE EXCHANGE
ELECTRON-ATOM COLLISIONS
EXCITATION
ION-ATOM COLLISIONS
METASTABLE STATES
OXYGEN
ATOM COLLISIONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLLISIONS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITED STATES
FLUIDS
ION COLLISIONS
IONS
NONMETALS
SPECTRA
640201* - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena