Near infrared and ultraviolet spectra of TLEs

0377484 - ÚFP 2013 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Gordillo-Vázquez, F.J. - Luque, A. - Šimek, Milan
Near infrared and ultraviolet spectra of TLEs.
Journal of Geophysical Research. Roč. 117, č. 5 (2012), s. 1-7. ISSN 0148-0227
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508
Keywords : sprites * halos * spectroscopy
Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics
Impact factor: 3.174, year: 2012

Near infrared (NIR) and ultraviolet (UV) spectra of sprites, halos and beads corresponding to the first (1PG) and second positive (2PG) bands of N2 have been calculated for different observation altitudes from mountains (3.25 km) to airplanes (14 km), balloons (35 km) and space (nadir) platforms. The calculated non-equilibrium vibrational distribution functions (VDF) of the N2(B3Πg) states in halos and beads show that the calculated NIR emissions produced through strong N2-1PG (B3Πg →A3Σ+u) transitions differ from the calculated sprite spectral emission patterns at ~888 nm but, particularly pronounced differences are found in the NIR spectral region at ~1046 nm and ~1231 nm corresponding to the N2-1PG (0,0) and (0,1) transitions, respectively. The blue-near UV spectra from N2 -2PG (C3Πu →B3Πg ) transitions in halos and beads also exhibits slightly different spectral features when compared to the blue - near UV spectrum of sprites for bands originating from higher v-levels (v > 0) although they might not be above noise level to be distinguished.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0209629