Exospheric temperatures deduced from 7320- to 7330-A /O/+//2P/ - O/+//2D// twilight observations

A technique developed to deduce exospheric temperatures from the 7320- to 7330-A emission measured by the visible airglow experiment on board the AE-E satellite is considered. An excess emission in the measured 7320- to 7330-A brightness is noticed as a result of the interaction between the spacecraft and the atmosphere. The observed brightnesses are corrected for this effect. The galactic background emission is also carefully subtracted. The deduced temperatures exhibit a positive correlation with solar activity. It varies from approximately 700 K in late 1976 to approximately 1700 K at the peak of this solar cycle. The presence of a nonthermal oxygen corona is considered inconclusive.