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Description

A four-color turret photometer has been used for shipboard observations of the night airglow and the aurora. Zenith observations have been obtained during 1962 close to the 70° W meridian from the northern auroral zone to the Antarctic pack ice. Most of the observations were taken during the Southern Hemisphere Winter. Maximums in the [0I] 5577 Å intensity were found near 30-40° N and 40° S, with the Southern Hemisphere level being generally lower than that in the Northern Hemisphere. The [0I] 6300Å latitudinal variation was similar to that of 0Iλ 5577Å except that maximums in the latitudinal distribution were found near 15° geomagnetic north and south latitudes. In contrast with the [0I] emissions, the sodium group (NaD doublet and OH bands near 5893Å) generally increased to the south with maximums near 20-30° N and 40-50° S geographic latitude. The total 5340Å background increased from north to south. When the integrated starlight and zodiacal light components were subtracted from the total background, the resultant terrestrial component showed a pronounced minimum at low latitudes and apparent symmetry about the geomagnetic equator.

Publication Date

8-17-1964

Keywords

Airglow, Auroras

Handle

http://hdl.handle.net/11122/15444

Latitudinal and seasonal variations in the night airglow

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