Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Infrared Photography of OH Airglow Structures

Nature volume 242, pages 321–322 (1973)Cite this article

Abstract

INFRARED airglow emission is bright, patchy and erratic1,2. The primary source of this emission was identified by Meinel3 as rotation-vibration bands of the OH molecule. These and subsequent studies4–6 did not delineate the true morphology of the infrared night sky because large fields of view (∼20 deg2) were used and only point by point measurements taken. Accurate mapping of the night sky requires a small field of view to resolve the smallest structures and a rapid scanning rate to “freeze” any time variations in the luminosity.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Elvey, C. T., Astrophys. J., 97, 65 (1943).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Stebbins, J., Whitford, A. E., and Swings, P., Astrophys. J., 101, 39 (1945).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Meinel, A. B., Astrophys. J., 111, 207 (1950).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Huruhata, M., Rep. Ionosph. Res. Japan, 4, 137 (1950).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Roach, F. E., Pettit, H. B., and Williams, D. R., J. Geophys. Res., 55, 183 (1950).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Pavlova, E. N., Rodionov, C. F., Sominsky, M. C., and Fishkova, L. M., Doklady Akad. Nauk. SSSR, 73, 69 (1950).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Peterson, A. W., and Kieffaber, L. M., J. Atm. and Terr. Phys., 34, 1357 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Kieffaber, L. M., and Peterson, A. W., J. Atm. and Terr. Phys. (in the press).

  9. Baker, D. J., and Waddoups, R. O., J. Geophys. Res., 72, 4881 (1967).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Harrison, A. W., Canad. J. Phys., 48, 2231 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87106

    A. W. PETERSON & L. M. KIEFFABER

Authors
  1. A. W. PETERSON
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. M. KIEFFABER
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

PETERSON, A., KIEFFABER, L. Infrared Photography of OH Airglow Structures. Nature 242, 321–322 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/242321a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/242321a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing