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Kenny Cottle Hall, 202 (ISR Conference Room) View map Free Event
View map Free Event

Observations of the Equatorial Arcs from LITES on the International Space Station

The Limb-imaging Ionospheric and Thermospheric Extreme-ultraviolet Spectrograph (LITES) has been collecting EUV and FUV airglow emission altitude profiles since early 2017 from the International Space Station (ISS). LITES measures the limb from approximately 150 to 350 km from 60 to 140 nm both daytime and nighttime. The LITES spectrum includes many ionospheric and thermospheric ion and neutral spectral features, including the 91.1 and 135.6 nm lines from radiative recombination of O+ and electrons which can be used to trace density. The 400-km altitude orbit of the ISS provides an ideal vantage point for remotely sensing the ionosphere and features such as the tropical arcs. In my talk I will discuss the LITES instrument and present results from the first year on orbit.