CIRRIS-1A LIMB SPECTRAL MEASUREMENTS OF MESOSPHERIC 9.6-MU-M AIRGLOW AND OZONE

Limb infrared spectral measurements of the 9.6-mu m mesospheric ozone airglow were made by the Cryogenic Infrared Radiance Instrumentation f or Shuttle (CIRRIS-1A) during one flight of the space shuttle Discover y (April 28(th) to May 6(th) 1991). A significant difference between o zone nightglow and dayglow is observed. The measured spectrally integr ated ozone nu(3) fundamental band radiance profile is used to retrieve the ozone (nu(3) = 1) excited state density. Modeled ozone (nu(3) = 1 ) vibrational temperatures are used to infer the total ozone density. Night and day ozone abundance profiles inferred from ozone 9.6-mu m in frared spectral emissions and comparisons with photochemical model cal culations are reported. The observed ozone abundance is significantly larger than predicted by the photochemical model.