Upper atmospheric infrared radiance from CO₂and NO observed during the SPIRIT 1 Rocket Experiment

Spectral limb radiance data on CO 2 ν 2 and NO 5.3‐μm emissions obtained in the Spectral Infrared Interferometric Telescope rocket experiment have been analyzed. The data cover auroral intensities from several kilorayleighs to over 100 kR at 391.4 nm, and tangent heights of ∼70–200 km at high latitudes (60°–65°N). Volumetric emission and kinetic temperature profiles have been obtained using linear least squares inversion procedures. The CO 2 ν 2 radiance profile is found to be similar to previous observations. The NO 5.3‐μm emission is somewhat weaker than that typically measured; this is ascribed mainly to below‐average thermospheric temperatures. Auroral enhancement of NO hot bands was not observable with the available sensitivity. An approximate thermospheric temperature profile derived from the NO band shape compares reasonably with the mass spectrometer/incoherent scatter 86 model.