Using multispectral optical observations to identify the acceleration mechanism responsible for flickering aurora
We present an analysis of flickering (2–10 Hz) auroras observed with a state-of-the-art multispectral imaging system, Auroral Structure and Kinetics, located in Tromsø, Norway. Short (1–2 s) periods of flickering aurora have been identified in which the frequency of the brightness oscillations decre...
Published in: | Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics |
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2010
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ftsouthampton:oai:eprints.soton.ac.uk:185975 2023-08-27T04:12:23+02:00 Using multispectral optical observations to identify the acceleration mechanism responsible for flickering aurora Whiter, D.K. Lanchester, B.S. Gustavsson, B. Ivchenko, N. Dahlgren, H. 2010 https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/185975/ unknown Whiter, D.K., Lanchester, B.S., Gustavsson, B., Ivchenko, N. and Dahlgren, H. (2010) Using multispectral optical observations to identify the acceleration mechanism responsible for flickering aurora. Journal of Geophysical Research, 115 (A12), A12315. (doi:10.1029/2010JA015805 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2010JA015805>). Article PeerReviewed 2010 ftsouthampton https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JA015805 2023-08-03T22:19:43Z We present an analysis of flickering (2–10 Hz) auroras observed with a state-of-the-art multispectral imaging system, Auroral Structure and Kinetics, located in Tromsø, Norway. Short (1–2 s) periods of flickering aurora have been identified in which the frequency of the brightness oscillations decreases or increases smoothly over time. To the authors' knowledge this is the first detailed analysis of such “chirps” in flickering aurora or field-aligned bursts. We have found that the electron precipitation energy is strongly anticorrelated with the flickering frequency during all identified chirps. This result is consistent with the theory that flickering aurora is caused by the resonance interaction between electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves and precipitating electrons and that the wave parallel phase velocity is the primary factor determining the electron acceleration produced by this mechanism. Other current theories known to the authors cannot completely explain our observations. Article in Journal/Newspaper Tromsø University of Southampton: e-Prints Soton Norway Tromsø Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 115 A12 n/a n/a |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Southampton: e-Prints Soton |
op_collection_id |
ftsouthampton |
language |
unknown |
description |
We present an analysis of flickering (2–10 Hz) auroras observed with a state-of-the-art multispectral imaging system, Auroral Structure and Kinetics, located in Tromsø, Norway. Short (1–2 s) periods of flickering aurora have been identified in which the frequency of the brightness oscillations decreases or increases smoothly over time. To the authors' knowledge this is the first detailed analysis of such “chirps” in flickering aurora or field-aligned bursts. We have found that the electron precipitation energy is strongly anticorrelated with the flickering frequency during all identified chirps. This result is consistent with the theory that flickering aurora is caused by the resonance interaction between electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves and precipitating electrons and that the wave parallel phase velocity is the primary factor determining the electron acceleration produced by this mechanism. Other current theories known to the authors cannot completely explain our observations. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Whiter, D.K. Lanchester, B.S. Gustavsson, B. Ivchenko, N. Dahlgren, H. |
spellingShingle |
Whiter, D.K. Lanchester, B.S. Gustavsson, B. Ivchenko, N. Dahlgren, H. Using multispectral optical observations to identify the acceleration mechanism responsible for flickering aurora |
author_facet |
Whiter, D.K. Lanchester, B.S. Gustavsson, B. Ivchenko, N. Dahlgren, H. |
author_sort |
Whiter, D.K. |
title |
Using multispectral optical observations to identify the acceleration mechanism responsible for flickering aurora |
title_short |
Using multispectral optical observations to identify the acceleration mechanism responsible for flickering aurora |
title_full |
Using multispectral optical observations to identify the acceleration mechanism responsible for flickering aurora |
title_fullStr |
Using multispectral optical observations to identify the acceleration mechanism responsible for flickering aurora |
title_full_unstemmed |
Using multispectral optical observations to identify the acceleration mechanism responsible for flickering aurora |
title_sort |
using multispectral optical observations to identify the acceleration mechanism responsible for flickering aurora |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/185975/ |
geographic |
Norway Tromsø |
geographic_facet |
Norway Tromsø |
genre |
Tromsø |
genre_facet |
Tromsø |
op_relation |
Whiter, D.K., Lanchester, B.S., Gustavsson, B., Ivchenko, N. and Dahlgren, H. (2010) Using multispectral optical observations to identify the acceleration mechanism responsible for flickering aurora. Journal of Geophysical Research, 115 (A12), A12315. (doi:10.1029/2010JA015805 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2010JA015805>). |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JA015805 |
container_title |
Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics |
container_volume |
115 |
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A12 |
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n/a |
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_version_ |
1775356452840407040 |