AURORAL EMISSION OF THE N2 MEINEL BANDS

摘要

New cross sections for electron impact excitation and quenching of the N2(+) Meinel bands have been combined with recently determined transition probabilities to yield altitude profiles of the Meinel bands relative to those for the N2(+) First Negative System. Quenching of the Meinel bands is found to be important for altitudes less than 120 km. The calculated intensity of the Meinel band system relative to that of the First Negative System agrees reasonably well with the more recent auroral measurements. (Author)