Calculated OH A2Σ+-X2Π (0,0) band rotational emission rate factors for solar resonance fluorescence

The Middle Atmosphere High-Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI) measured vertical density profiles of hydroxyl (OH) by observing OH A (2)Sigma(+) (XII)-I-2 (0,0) solar resonance fluorescence in the mesosphere near 309 nm [Conway et al., this issue]. Interpretation of the MAHRSI results requires calculation of the OH(0,0) rotational emission rate factors (g factors) which describe the molecule's fluorescent scattering efficiency. This calculation relies heavily on a solar irradiance measurement with high enough spectral resolution to identify the amount of excitation for each rotational transition (resolving power > 3.1 x 10(5)). Recent high-resolution ground-based measurements of the solar irradiance and more accurate absolute solar irradiance observations allow for much more accurate g factors. We find that the relative intensities of calculated OH(0,0) rotational g factors are in excellent agreement with MAHRSI spectra. The calculated OH(0,0) band g factor is found to be 3.51 x 10(-4) s(-1) at 200 K in good agreement with the most recent work on the subject.