• Redjard
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    2 months ago

    Could you correct it for us mere mortals without in-depth aurora knowledge?

    • @Eheran@lemmy.world
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      62 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.