Abstract
A Michelson interferometer has been built to measure the wind and temperature in the earth’s upper atmosphere using nightglow emissions from atomic oxygen and radical OH. The interferometer uses field compensation to give large geometric etendu allowing measurements with emission lines of intensity of ~30 R at zenith. For wind measurement, it is thermally stabilized permitting operation without difficulty. The instrument incorporates calibration sources allowing temperature and wind measurements. It is operated at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence (43°56′N, 5°43′E, France) in summer and Sodankyla (67°22′N, 26°38′E, Finland) in winter. Its performance is illustrated by some examples of measurements and results.
© 1991 Optical Society of America
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