Comment on Airglow Observations of the Oi 7774 A Multiplet at Arecibo During a Magnetic Storm by Roger G. Burnside, John W. Meriwether and James C. G. Walker

摘要

Measurements and theoretical calculations of the 7774A and 6300A emissions for Arecibo, Puerto Rico, for May 2-3, 1976 during severe magnetic storm conditions are presented. The 6300 A observations were made with a tilting filter photometer looking at zenith, whereas the 7774A observations were made with a 1.0 m Ebert-Fastie spectrometer looking towards the west at an elevation angle of 20 deg. The theoretical calculations of the vertical column intensities of these emissions for this specific night, were performed using vertical electron density profile measurements made with the Arecibo 430 MHz radar. Their results show a reasonably good fit between experimental and theoretical 6300 A emissions. However, for the 7774A emission, there is a discrepancy between the theoretical vertical column intensities and the intensities observed looking west at 70 deg. from the zenith. Possible excitation mechanisms to explain the excess 7774A observed intensities are discussed.