EarthRef.org Reference Database (ERR)
Development and Maintenance by the EarthRef.org Database Team

Detailed Reference Information
Mende et al. 1983
Mende, S.B., Banks, P.M., Garriott, O.K. and Hoffman, J. (1983). Photographic observations of earths airglow from space. Geophysical Research Letters 10: doi: 10.1029/GL010i011p01108. issn: 0094-8276.

Observations of Earth's airglow from a recent flight of the Space Shuttle have provided new information about emissions in the visible and near infrared portions of the optical spectrum. A new type of image intensifier camera system was carried aboard STS-5, flown in November, 1982. This instrument, which included an objective ruled grating, provided a low resolution, spectrally dispersed image of the limb airglow layer. From the resulting spectra we can identify several characteristic airglow emissions. These include the 5577 ¿ emission of atomic oxygen, the OH Meinel bands, which appear as a continuum, and the atmospheric O2(0-0) band of the b1&Sgr;-g-&khgr;'3&Sgr;-g transition. This latter feature, which is not seen in ground observations of night airglow due to self absorption by atmospheric oxygen, was the single brightest emission of Earth's night airglow seen in the present observations. The 300 kR measured intensity of this emission seen at the limb agrees closely with previous rocket measurements.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
http://www.agu.org/journals/gl/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
2000 Florida Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009-1277
USA
1-202-462-6900
1-202-328-0566
service@agu.org
Click to clear formClick to return to previous pageClick to submit