O 2(0-0) atmospheric and OH Meinel bands in the night airglow have been simultaneously measured using multi-color rocket-borne photometers in midlatitude. Atomic oxygen densities have been deduced from O2 airglow intensity profiles and the direct and two-step excitation mechanisms for the O2 airglow have been examined. The obtained atomic oxygen densities agree with in-situ measurements. The altitude profiles of the observed OH(8-3), (7-3) and (6-2) bands are reproduced by calculation using

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... ulated atomic oxygen density profiles. It is clearly demonstrated that time-to-time variations of the altitude profile of atomic oxygen is basically important for the change of the OH altitude profile. The quenching rate of OH by O has been estimated to be small,