Temporal variation of the volume emission rates between OI5577 and O2(0,1) Original Research Article

The intensities of the upper mesospheric airglow emissions, OI 557.7 nm and O2(b) atmospheric (0,1) band at 864.5 nm, have been measured since October 1998 using a ground-based multichannel airglow photometer located near the equator at São João do Cariri (7S, 35W). The intensity ratio between the two emissions, OI5577/O2b(0,1), was obtained as a function of time. The annual average of the ratio R in 1998 was 0.41 ± 0.14, and showed considerable day to day variations, ranging from 0.2 to 0.6. Nocturnal variations of the ratio also demonstrate a large amplitude of oscillation, varying between 0.3 to 0.6. These results were compared with a model calculation.