Rocket-borne radiometric measurements of OH in the auroral zone

Abstract

An Astrobee D rocket carrying a dual-channel radiometer (1.40- to .1.65-gm and 1.85- to 2.12-gm spectral band passes) was launched on March 6, 1972, at 0200 LT from Poker Flat, Alaska.T he spectrabl and passews ere chosens o that the lower (v -- 2, 3, 4, 5) and upper (v -- 7, 8, 9) vibrational levels of OH in the .Av -- 2 sequence could be monitored simultaneously. Launch criteria were established from groundsbased radiometric observations that indicated a steady.night airglow of 240 kR• in the 1.40- to 1.65-gm band pass 2 hours prior to and throughou•tt he flight. Altitude profiles of OH emissionw ere derived from data •from both channelasn d showO H to be layered,p ea'l•v olumee missionosc curringa t 83.5k m. Under the asSUmptionth at H + O• ,--) OH* + •02is the principal productionm echanism, synthetics pectraw ere integratedo ver the instruments pectralr esponsec haracteristicos f th.e two radiometer channels. At altitudes above 83 km, quenching due to the reaction OH*.+ O --) O2+ H is evident,w hichr equiresa n atomico xygenc oncentrationo f 10• cm- a at 83'k m, increasingto 8 X 10• cm- aa t 88 km