Observations of the OH airglow emission

Abstract

The OH airglow emission in the J and H bands was observed for the purpose of determining the linewidths, the precise wavelengths of individual lines, and the continuum emission level between lines. The lines were not resolved with a resolving power of about 17,000. Wavelengths and intensities were measured for approximately 120 lines from 1.1 to 1.8/micron. The continuum emission intensity was also measured on a dark night and was as low as 590 photons/sq m/sq arcsec/micron at 1.665 micron. The level is about one-fiftieth the average flux of the OH airglow emission in the H band.