MEASUREMENTS OF THE OPTICAL EMISSION HEIGHT PROFILES OF MEDIUM INTENSITY AURORA

Height profiles of auroral emissions at 3914 Å, 4861 Å, and 5577 Å were obtained in two rocket flights through medium intensity stable aurora. The 3914 Å N2+ integral intensity data were compared with intensity variations predicted by an auroral model for a range of primary electron energy spectra. The observed profiles for the two flights were well reproduced respectively by a 5.6 keV mono-energtic flux and by a flux with an exponential spectrum cutting off around 12 to 15 keV. The data for 5577 Å (available only above 120 km) bear a constant ratio to that for 3914 Å. The emission profiles derived for 3914 Å, peak at 115 and 107 km respectively. © 1979.