The 300- to 900-A spectrum of a nightside aurora

Attention is given to the results of a satellite observation of a nightside aurora. The observations had been made with the aid of an instrument which was designed specifically to detect and to measure accurately the intensity of features in a wavelength range from 300 to 900 A. The considered data were acquired by an EUV spectrometer on the USAF STP 78-1 satellite launched on February 24, 1979. A bright, discrete auroral arc was selected for study, taking into account the intense O II, 834 A emission line as the most distinctive auroral diagnostic feature in the wavelength region from 300 to 900 A. There is found to be an excellent correspondence between most of the auroral features and the brightest O II laboratory discharge emission lines.