A calibration of the Naval Postgraduate School middle ultraviolet spectrograph and an analysis of the OII 2470 ΩA emission obtained by the middle ultraviolet spectrograph

Abstract

The NPS middle ultraviolet spectrograph, MUSTANG, instrument was tested using standard techniques to determine the wavelength calibration and overall sensitivity. The instrument was launched on March 10, 1994 on a NASA sounding rocket from Poker Flats, Alaska. Post-flight calibration indicates the wavelength calibration did not change as a result of the launch and no significant change in the sensitivity calibration. Ultraviolet dayglow spectra of the earth's ionosphere from 1800 A to 3400 A were obtained during a similar launch on March 19, 1992 from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. Data were obtained on the downleg of this earlier experiment and range in altitude from 115 km to 320 km. Analysis of the data from 2420 A to 2490 A was conducted to obtain the intensity profile of the OII 2470.4 A multiplet. The analysis used synthetic spectra generated for the N2 Vegard-Kaplan and the nitric-oxide gamma band emissions