Excitation of Herzberg I and II bands in the atmospheres of earth and Venus
Abstract
A kinetic scheme is proposed to explain observations of the Herzberg I and II bands in the laboratory and in the nightglow on earth and Venus. The O2 (A Sigma + u) state responsible for the first emission is produced directly by three-body recombination of atomic oxygen. The O2 (cSigma - u) state is populated through a transfer process from the O2 (A 3Sigma + u) state, and the ratio of the two states depends on the efficiency of the quencher. On earth, the emission would be predominantly Herzberg I bands because of the low transfer coefficient in O2 and N2. On Venus and Mars, the Herzberg I bands are virtually absent in the presence of CO2 which acts as strong quencher.
- Publication:
-
Annales Geophysicae
- Pub Date:
- December 1986
- Bibcode:
- 1986AnGeo...4..481P
- Keywords:
-
- Earth Atmosphere;
- Herzberg Bands;
- Molecular Excitation;
- Nightglow;
- Oxygen Spectra;
- Venus Atmosphere;
- Emission Spectra;
- Ultraviolet Spectra