The Radiant Output of Grenade Glow Clouds in the Lower Thermosphere

Abstract

Records of the behaviour of aluminized grenade glow clouds at twilight and at night were obtained using cameras and photometers. From these records the radiance, radiant p~wer, and radiant energy have been deduced for the altitude range 100-200 km. The twilight observations show that the absorption cross section of aluminium monoxide is about 3 X lO-14 cm2? From the night-time results it is concluded that the glow probably arises from a chemiluminescent reaction with atomic oxygen. A set of reactions consistent with the observations above 120 km altitude is