Comment on Aurora Borealis?
Redjard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 months agoCould you correct us for us mere mortals without in-depth airora knowledge?
Comment on Aurora Borealis?
Redjard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 months agoCould you correct us for us mere mortals without in-depth airora knowledge?
Eheran@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Sure. Red: It is the lower concentration of oxygen but also/mostly the lower overall pressure (lower number of partciles per volume). Only with lower pressure can there be fewer collisions and thus the exited state is not quenched.
Green: Any interaction of a random atom and the exited oxygen atom, that would otherwise emit red light, quenches the red light emission. Thus the faster green transition can take over.