Open AccessThe middle ultraviolet‐visible spectrum of H 2 excited by electron impact
Author(s) -
James Geoffrey K.,
Ajello Joseph M.,
Pryor Wayne R.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: planets
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/97je03692
Subject(s) - balmer series , emission spectrum , atomic physics , physics , ultraviolet , excited state , spectral line , radiative transfer , electron ionization , wavelength , electron , spectral resolution , airglow , spectrometer , optics , ion , astronomy , quantum mechanics , ionization
The electron‐impact‐induced emission spectrum of H 2 has been measured in the extended wavelength region 175–530 nm at a spectral resolution of 1.7 nm (full width at half maximum). The laboratory spectra observed in the middle ultraviolet (MUV) and visible spectral region are characterized by underlying H 2 ( ) continuum emission, together with many strong lines assigned to the radiative decay of the gerade singlet states of H 2 , and to members of the H Balmer series resulting from dissociative excitation of H 2 . Our calibrated MUV spectral data, obtained at 14, 19, and 100 eV electron‐impact energies, provide absolute emission cross sections of these H 2 lines and will assist in the interpretation of planned Galileo ultraviolet spectrometer observations of Jupiter's aurora in this wavelength region.