A Study of Temporal Variability of the Night Airglow

University Of Arizona, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Abstract

A recent analysis of data acquired viewing the Earth limb edge-on from the space shuttle has demonstrated that the present model of the nightglow emission is incomplete. The observations were made by the Arizona Airglow Experiment (GLO). It uses a new technique referred to as "hyperspectral imaging" in which vertical profiles of all of the prominent nightglow emissions are recorded simultaneously. This proposal requests support to continue the analysis of archival data with the main purpose of providing a more appropriate nightglow model. A review of all present model parameters will be undertaken. That will be followed by static and finally dynamic representations of nightglow condition. The GLO data archive is extensive. Many conditions have been observed that will be used to constrain the model process.