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Characteristics of the O + ( 2 P– 2 D) 732.0 and 733.0 nm airglow emissions observed with WINDII and simulated with the C‐IAM
Author(s) -
Shepherd Gordon G.,
Cho YoungMin,
Fomichev Victor I.,
Martynenko Oleg V.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2014gl060840
Subject(s) - airglow , solar zenith angle , zenith , thermosphere , atmosphere (unit) , photoelectric effect , physics , atmospheric sciences , aeronomy , twilight , atomic physics , flux (metallurgy) , photoionization , mesosphere , ionosphere , environmental science , ionization , optics , meteorology , stratosphere , materials science , astronomy , ion , quantum mechanics , metallurgy
Abstract This paper provides new data on the O + ( 2 P– 2 D) 732 nm and 733 nm daytime airglow emissions that enhance our understanding of the role that local and conjugate photoelectrons play in the excitation of this emission, updating earlier investigations of its production by solar EUV photoionization of neutral atomic oxygen. The Wind Imaging Interferometer on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, launched in 1991, retrieved these emissions using a filter primarily intended for observations of the hydroxyl P 1 (2) line but with invalid results. The first corrected results are presented here and compared with simulations by the Canadian Ionosphere and Atmosphere Model. Reasonable agreement is obtained in terms of vertical profiles, solar flux, and solar zenith angle variations. Observations made during local twilight demonstrate that conjugate photoelectrons do not contribute to the excitation of this emission. This paves the way for future determinations of atomic oxygen concentrations.