Terrestrial OH nightglow measurements during the Rosetta flyby. Issue 13 (14th July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Migliorini, A.; Gérard, J. C.; Soret, L.; Piccioni, G.; Capaccioni, F.; Filacchione, G.; Snels, M.; Tosi, F.
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 42:Issue 13(2015:Jul.)
• Page Start: 5670
• Page End: 5677
• Publication Date: 2015-07-14
• Subjects: Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1002/2015GL064485
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>We present a study of the terrestrial hydroxyl nightglow emissions observed with the Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer on board the Rosetta mission. During these observations, the OH Δ<italic>v</italic> = 1 and 2 sequences were measured simultaneously. This allowed investigating the relative population of the <italic>v</italic> = 1 to 9 vibrational levels by using both sequences. In particular, the relative population of the vibrational level <italic>v</italic> = 1 is determined for the first time from observations. The vibrational population decreases with increasing vibrational quantum number. A good agreement is found with a recent model calculation assuming multiquantum relaxation for OH(<italic>v</italic>) quenching by O₂ and single‐quantum relaxation for OH(<italic>v</italic>) by N₂.</p> </abstract>