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The UV dayglow 2, Lyα and Lyβ emissions and the H distribution in the mesosphere and thermosphere
Author(s) -
Anderson D. E.,
Feldman P. D.,
Gentieu E. P.,
Meier R. R.
Publication year - 1980
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 - 10.1029/gl007i007p00529
Subject(s) - thermosphere , airglow , mesosphere , mesopause , atmospheric sciences , physics , atmospheric models , environmental science , ionosphere , geophysics , stratosphere
Rocket observations of the Lyman α and Lyman β day airglow are analyzed using a nonisothermal spherical model of the radiation field. This new model provides, for the first time, a method of determining atomic hydrogen densities in the mesosphere and thermosphere. Interpretation of Lyman α data taken between 80 and 260 km is consistent with current mesospheric and thermospheric models, with H density equal to 1.9 × 10 7 cm −3 at 100 km. Analysis of 1025A data suggests that the emission is dominated by Lyman β with perhaps as much as a 30% contribution from OI 1027.