Open AccessA new O 2 band system: The c 1 ∑ u − − b 1 ∑ g + transition in the terrestrial nightglow
Author(s) -
Slanger T. G.,
Cosby P. C.,
Huestis D. L.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2002ja009677
Subject(s) - physics , airglow , venus , excited state , spectral line , atomic physics , emission spectrum , population , optics , astronomy , demography , sociology , astrobiology
A new O 2 band system, the c 1 ∑ u − ‐b 1 ∑ g + transition, has been found in sky spectra of the terrestrial nightglow from the Keck telescopes. The spectral region is 380–550 nm, and emission occurs from highly vibrationally excited levels, exhibiting peak intensities at v = 9 and v = 10 of the c 1 ∑ u − state. The spectral lines are relatively sparse, and because of the nature of the transition, they extend to quite high rotational levels in a single Q branch. Population is observed from v = 4 to v = 11 of the c 1 ∑ u − state, and the estimated intensity of the entire system is 30 R. A comparison is made between the detectability of the new system and the c 1 ∑ u − ‐ X 3 ∑ g + Herzberg II bands of O 2 , taking into consideration that the latter are the dominant visible emission in the nightglow of Venus, though only from v ′ = 0.