Retrieval of rotational temperatures using the Arecibo Observatory Ebert-Fastie spectrometer and their comparison with multiple instruments and theoretical calculation

A one-meter Ebert-Fastie Spectrometer (EFS) was routinely operated in the Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico (18.35oN, 66.75oW) to record the OH(6,2) Meinel band emission lines. In the present study, we have utilized the P1 lines of OH (6,2) Meinel band to estimate rotational temperatures in the MLT region using data from February 2005 to April 2005. The temperatures obtained agree with the literature. The estimated rotational temperatures are compared with the temperatures obtained from a co-located Potassium Temperature Lidar and overhead SABER passes. Preliminary results show that the EFS temperatures are found to be higher than the K-Lidar temperature by ~ 10.49 K. In addition, combining the EFS and the vertical profiles of K-Lidar temperature, the temporal variation of the peak emission altitude of OH(6,2) Meinel band over Arecibo was retrieved and compared with theoretical values.