Resonant Vibrational Excitation and Overtone Vibrational Emissions of Nitric Oxide (NO) in Sub‐Auroral Ion Drift (SAID) Region: A Source of STEVE Continuum Emission

Abstract At elevated electron temperature () inside Sub‐Auroral Ion Drift, resonant vibrational excitation (RVE) increases the vibrationally excited () nitric oxide (NO) population in the E‐region, which undergoes overtone vibrational emissions () in multiple (>70) bands of multiple (>45) emission lines in the visible spectrum. Using published spectroscopic, excitation rate coefficient, and Einstein coefficient data, we analyze the spectral characteristics and volume‐emission‐rate (VER) and luminosity altitude profiles of this quasi‐continuum in Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement (STEVE) events, for which the formation mechanism remains an open question. The simulated spectrum exhibits closely spaced and overlapping peaks resembling portions of the observed STEVE spectra. The VER peaks at ∼185 km‐altitude, with peak luminosity (at 380–780 nm) at the kilo‐Raileigh level. These results suggest multi‐band NO vibrational emissions produced by RVE to be likely a significant contributor to the STEVE continuum.