Gravity waves are well known for deforming the bottom-side plasma of the F region into the wavelike ionization structures which then act as a seed for Rayleigh–Taylor instability, which in turn generates irregularities. The present study features midnight fossil airglow depletions that revived due to ongoing gravity wave (GW) activity and turned into an active depletion.

Using an empirical approach put forward by Makela et al. (2001), firstly, we propose a novel technique to calibrate OI 777.4 and 630.0 nm emission intensities using COSMIC/FORMOSAT-3 electron density profiles. Next, electron density maximum (Nm) and its height (hmF2) of the F layer are derived from the information of two calibrated intensities. Sample Nm and hmF2 maps are also generated to show the usefulness of this technique in studying ionospheric processes.

Using an all-sky imager, near-mesopause OH temperatures were derived from OH(6, 2) Meinel band intensity measurements. A limited comparison of OH temperatures with SABER/TIMED measurements performed by defining almost-coincident criteria of ±1.5° latitude–longitude and ±3 min indicated fair agreement between ground-based and SABER measurements in general. The difference of two measurements increased when the peak of the OH emission layer lay in the vicinity of large temperature inversions.

This study investigates the long-distance propagation (~ 1200–2000km) of gravity waves in the Indian subcontinent using coordinated nightglow measurements at Allahabad and Gadanki (separated by ~ 12º latitude). On few occasions, an identical wave (period in range ~ 2.2–4.5h) was seen at both sites that shared a common source. Waves had large horizontal wavelength (~ 1194–2746km) and phase speed (77–331m/s). The m2 profile analysis suggests the ducted propagation of the common waves.