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AGU: Journal of Geophysical Research, Space Physics

 

Keywords

  • airglow
  • Herzberg islands
  • oxygen green line

Index Terms

  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Airglow and aurora
  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Chemical kinetic and photochemical properties
  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Middle atmosphere: composition and chemistry
  • Atmospheric Processes: Radiative processes
Abstract
Cited By (8)
 

Abstract

JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 111, A12318, 11 PP., 2006
doi:10.1029/2006JA011972

O(1S → 1D,3P) branching ratio as measured in the terrestrial nightglow

T. G. Slanger

Molecular Physics Laboratory, SRI International, Menlo Park, California, USA

P. C. Cosby

Molecular Physics Laboratory, SRI International, Menlo Park, California, USA

B. D. Sharpee

Molecular Physics Laboratory, SRI International, Menlo Park, California, USA

K. R. Minschwaner

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico, USA

D. E. Siskind

Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., USA

The branching ratio of the two optically forbidden atmospheric emission lines, O(1S − 1D) at 557.7 nm and O(1S − 3P) at 297.2 nm, is a fixed number in the upper atmosphere because the O(1S) level is common to both lines. The value for the ratio A(557.7)/A(297.2) currently recommended by NIST is 16.7, and the ratio found in the laboratory is somewhat larger. Field observations require space-based instruments, in which case calibration between the two wavelength regions is the critical issue. We circumvent this problem by using the O2(A-X) Herzberg I emission system as a bridge between the UV region below 310 nm and the ground-accessible region above that wavelength. These two spectral regions can be separately calibrated in terms of intensity, and the results of a disparate set of observations (satellite, rocket, ground-based sky spectra) lead to a quite consistent value of 9.8 ± 1.0 for A(557.7)/A(297.2). This conclusion has consequences for auroral and dayglow processes and for spectral calibration. It is particularly important to ascertain the cause of the substantial difference between this value and those from theory.

Received 13 July 2006; accepted 13 September 2006; published 30 December 2006.

Citation: Slanger, T. G., P. C. Cosby, B. D. Sharpee, K. R. Minschwaner, and D. E. Siskind (2006), O(1S → 1D,3P) branching ratio as measured in the terrestrial nightglow, J. Geophys. Res., 111, A12318, doi:10.1029/2006JA011972.

Cited By

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