Measuring the Thickness of Auroral Curtains

• Published in: ARCTIC
• Main Authors: Suszcynsky, David M., Borovsky, Joseph E., Buchwald, Melvin I., DeHaven, Harold V.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The Arctic Institute of North America 1991
• Subjects: Auroras; Geomagnetism; Ionosphere; Photography; Alaska; Alberta; Northern; Arctic regions; Labrador; Manitoba; N.W.T; Nouveau-Québec; Nunavut; Saskatchewan; Arctic; Fort Smith; Ionosphère; Northwest Territories; Aurore boréale; Territoires du Nord-Ouest
• Online Access: https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64597

Auroral arcs (curtains) are extremely thin. A calculation of the minimum-possible arc thickness is presented; this minimum thickness is found to be about 9.5 m. Four requirements for designing an optical system that can image the thinnest curtains are discussed: (1) angular resolution, (2) temporal...