Mariner 6 and 7 Ultraviolet Spectrometer Experiment: Analysis of the O I 1304- and 1356-A emissions

Abstract

Analysis of the O I 1304- and 1356-A data from Mariner 6 and 7, and estimation of the atomic oxygen concentration of the Martian atmosphere. Derived values of the parameters describing the sources of excitation differ considerably from previous estimates. A detailed statistical treatment is used in the analysis. At an exospheric temperature of 350 K the atomic oxygen concentration at 135 km is estimated to be between 0.5 and 1%. The likely source of the 1304-A intensity is resonance scattering of solar 1304-A photons. For the 1356-A emission, the likely source is photodissociation of CO2. There is an indication of a diurnal variation of the Martian upper atmosphere.