This study assesses the impact of new O(3P) photoionization and N2 photoabsorption cross sections, and O+ oscillator strengths and transition probabilities, on O II 834-¿ airglow calculations. The 834-¿ intensities computed using the new emission parameters are in good agreement with rocket measurements obtained in 1978 and 1980. The present study does not support a suggested reduction in the N2 photoabsorption cross section based on an earlier analysis of the rocket data. This study also explores the problem of determining F region electron densities from satellite limb scans of the O+ 834-¿ emission. Our results indicate that electron density profiles inferred from limb scans are not necessarily unique; estimates of NmF2 and hmF2 can vary by at least a factor of 2 and 50 km, respectively. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1994