The measurement of O2 number density by absorption of Lyman alpha
Measurements of O2 number density obtained from rocket observations of the absorption profile of solar Lyman alpha (1216 A) have been compared with values derived from nearly simultaneous measurements of atmospheric density from other rocket techniques: grenades, falling sphere, and Pitot tube. All launches were from Wallops Island, Virginia. The atmospheric density derived from the absorption spectroscopy data is found to be about 20% less than that from the other techniques when a constant value of the absorption cross section of 1.0 times 10 to the minus 20th sq cm is used. The agreement is worse when the cross section is allowed to vary across the width of the solar line. The data in the altitude range 70-90 km are interpreted as showing that the effective value of the absorption cross section at Lyman alpha for O2 at 200 K and negligible pressure is about 0.8 times 10 to the minus 20th sq cm.