Further Spectral Observations of Grenade Glow Clouds in the Lower Thermosphere

Abstract

The spectral energy distribution is given for the glow clouds resulting from the explosion of aluminized grenades in the range of altitude from 100 to 200 km. At night, over much of the spectral range from 300 to 800 nm, the spectrum is a continuum very similar to that of a black body at 4000-5000oK. At twilight, emissions resulting from resonant scattering of sunlight by AI, K, Ba, Na, and AIO are superimposed on, and dominate, the ontinuum.