The excitation of the 557.7 nm line and Herzberg bands in the nightglow

Abstract

Measurements of the emission intensities of the 557.7 nm line and Herzberg bands and of O( 3P) concentrations carried out on two coordinated rocket flights at South Uist during the night of 8/9 September 1975 are presented. An examination of the 557.7 nm emission and O( 3 P) data on the basis of recent data on relevant rate coefficients has shown that the results can be interpreted on the basis of the Barth mechanism for the production of O( 1 S) atoms but not the Chapman mechanism. Evidence is provided that the A 3 Σ + u state of O 2 could be responsible for the O( 1 S) production in the Barth mechanism. Values of the rate coefficients involved are deduced from a comparison of the 557.7 nm and Herzberg emission rates.