Articles | Volume 39, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-277-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-277-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Regular paper
| Highlight paper
| 
04 Mar 2021
Regular paper | Highlight paper |
| 04 Mar 2021
| 04 Mar 2021
Characteristics of fragmented aurora-like emissions (FAEs) observed on Svalbard
Space Plasma Physics group, Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF), Uppsala, Sweden
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Noora Partamies
Department of Arctic Geophysics, The University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
Birkeland Centre for Space Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Daniel Whiter
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Pål G. Ellingsen
Department of Electrical Engineering, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, Narvik, Norway
Lisa Baddeley
Department of Arctic Geophysics, The University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
Birkeland Centre for Space Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Stephan C. Buchert
Space Plasma Physics group, Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF), Uppsala, Sweden
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Emma Bland, Fasil Tesema, and Noora Partamies
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Noora Partamies, Fasil Tesema, Emma Bland, Erkka Heino, Hilde Nesse Tyssøy, and Erlend Kallelid
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Fasil Tesema, Noora Partamies, Hilde Nesse Tyssøy, and Derek McKay
Ann. Geophys., 38, 1191–1202, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-1191-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-1191-2020, 2020
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from KAIRA riometer observations during pulsating auroras. We found thick layers of ionization that reach down
to 70 km (harder precipitation) and higher cosmic noise absorption during patchy pulsating aurora than
during amorphous pulsating and patchy auroras.
Sharon Aol, Stephan Buchert, Edward Jurua, and Marco Milla
Ann. Geophys., 38, 1063–1080, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-1063-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-1063-2020, 2020
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Stephan C. Buchert
Ann. Geophys., 38, 1019–1030, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-1019-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-1019-2020, 2020
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Winds in the Earth's upper atmosphere cause magnetic and electric variations both at the ground and in space all over the Earth. According to the model of entangled dynamos the true cause is wind differences between regions in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres that are connected by the Earth's dipole-like magnetic field. The power produced in the southern dynamo heats the northern upper atmosphere and vice versa. The dynamos exist owing to this entanglement, an analogy to quantum mechanics.
Sam Tuttle, Betty Lanchester, Björn Gustavsson, Daniel Whiter, Nickolay Ivchenko, Robert Fear, and Mark Lester
Ann. Geophys., 38, 845–859, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-845-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-845-2020, 2020
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Theodoros E. Sarris, Elsayed R. Talaat, Minna Palmroth, Iannis Dandouras, Errico Armandillo, Guram Kervalishvili, Stephan Buchert, Stylianos Tourgaidis, David M. Malaspina, Allison N. Jaynes, Nikolaos Paschalidis, John Sample, Jasper Halekas, Eelco Doornbos, Vaios Lappas, Therese Moretto Jørgensen, Claudia Stolle, Mark Clilverd, Qian Wu, Ingmar Sandberg, Panagiotis Pirnaris, and Anita Aikio
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 9, 153–191, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-9-153-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-9-153-2020, 2020
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Daedalus aims to measure the largely unexplored area between Eart's atmosphere and space, the Earth's
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Sharon Aol, Stephan Buchert, and Edward Jurua
Ann. Geophys., 38, 243–261, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-243-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-243-2020, 2020
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During the night, in the F region, equatorial ionospheric irregularities manifest as plasma depletions observed by satellites and may cause radio signals to fluctuate. We checked the distribution traits of ionospheric F-region irregularities in the low latitudes using 16 Hz electron density observations made by the faceplate onboard Swarm satellites. Using the high-resolution faceplate data, we were able to identify ionospheric irregularities of scales of only a few hundred metres.
Joshua M. Chadney and Daniel K. Whiter
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 7, 317–329, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-7-317-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-7-317-2018, 2018
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We measure spectra of upper atmospheric emissions in optical wavelengths using the High Throughput Imaging Echelle Spectrograph (HiTIES) located on Svalbard. These spectra contain superposed emissions originating from different altitudes. In this paper, we describe a fitting method which allows us to separate the measured emissions, thus allowing us to measure neutral temperatures at different altitudes and the density of water vapour in the atmosphere above the instrument.
Noora Partamies, James M. Weygand, and Liisa Juusola
Ann. Geophys., 35, 1069–1083, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-1069-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-1069-2017, 2017
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Hanna Dahlgren, Betty S. Lanchester, Nickolay Ivchenko, and Daniel K. Whiter
Ann. Geophys., 35, 493–503, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-493-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-493-2017, 2017
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Pulsating aurora are ubiquitous events that constitute a large amount of energy transfer to the ionosphere. Still there are unsolved issues regarding their formation. Using high-resolution optical and radar data, we find that it is the flux of high-energy electrons that get reduced during the OFF period of the pulsations. We also report on dips in brightness at the transition between ON and OFF, and asymmetric rise and fall times, which may have implications for understanding the pulsations.
Joshua M. Chadney, Daniel K. Whiter, and Betty S. Lanchester
Ann. Geophys., 35, 481–491, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-481-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-481-2017, 2017
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A layer of excited OH molecules in the upper atmosphere produces strong airglow emission from which it is possible to obtain the temperature of the layer. To obtain accurate temperatures values, one must take into account the absorption of OH emission by water vapour in the lower atmosphere before this emission is measured by instruments on the ground. This paper provides the amount of absorption suffered by each OH line due to water vapour and presents a method to estimate water concentrations.
Nadezda Yagova, Natalia Nosikova, Lisa Baddeley, Olga Kozyreva, Dag A. Lorentzen, Vyacheslav Pilipenko, and Magnar G. Johnsen
Ann. Geophys., 35, 365–376, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-365-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-365-2017, 2017
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A substorm is a dramatic phenomenon in the near-Earth space that is visualized as an aurora. Mostly substorms are caused by changes in the solar wind, but some of them can develop without any evident trigger. Such substorms together with undisturbed days were investigated using magnetometer and photometer data from Svalbard. Substorm precursors, i.e., specific features in 1–4 mHz geomagnetic and auroral luminosity pulsations, have been found at high geomagnetic latitudes.
Fred Sigernes, Pål Gunnar Ellingsen, Noora Partamies, Mikko Syrjäsuo, Pål Brekke, Silje Eriksen Holmen, Arne Danielsen, Bernt Olsen, Xiangcai Chen, Margit Dyrland, Lisa Baddeley, Dag Arne Lorentzen, Marcus Aleksander Krogtoft, Torstein Dragland, Hans Mortensson, Lisbeth Smistad, Craig J. Heinselman, and Shadia Habbal
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 6, 9–14, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-6-9-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-6-9-2017, 2017
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The total solar eclipse event on Svalbard on 20 March 2015 gave us a unique opportunity to image the upper parts of the Sun's atmosphere. A novel image accumulation filter technique is presented that is capable of distinguishing features such as loops, spicules, plumes, and prominences from intense and blurry video recordings of the chromosphere.
Tuomas Savolainen, Daniel Keith Whiter, and Noora Partamies
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 5, 305–314, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-5-305-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-5-305-2016, 2016
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In this paper we describe a new method for recognition of digits in seven-segment displays. The method is used for adding date and time information to a dataset consisting of about 7 million auroral all-sky images taken during the time period of 1973–1997 at camera stations centred around Sodankylä observatory in Northern Finland. In each image there is a clock display for the date and time together with the reflection of the whole night sky through a spherical mirror.
Kirsti Kauristie, Minna Myllys, Noora Partamies, Ari Viljanen, Pyry Peitso, Liisa Juusola, Shabana Ahmadzai, Vikramjit Singh, Ralf Keil, Unai Martinez, Alexej Luginin, Alexi Glover, Vicente Navarro, and Tero Raita
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 5, 253–262, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-5-253-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-5-253-2016, 2016
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We use the connection between auroras and geomagnetic field variations in a concept for a Regional Auroral Forecast (RAF) service. RAF is based on statistical relationships between alerts by the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center and magnetic time derivatives measured by five MIRACLE magnetometer stations located in the surroundings of the Sodankylä research station. As an improvement to previous similar services RAF yields knowledge on typical auroral storm durations at different latitudes.
N. M. Schlatter, V. Belyey, B. Gustavsson, N. Ivchenko, D. Whiter, H. Dahlgren, S. Tuttle, and T. Grydeland
Ann. Geophys., 33, 837–844, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-837-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-837-2015, 2015
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The high-latitude ionosphere is a dynamic region where particle precipitation leads to various phenomena including wave instability and turbulence. Anomalous echoes related to aurora are observed in ground-based radar observations of the ionosphere. These echoes indicate enhanced ion acoustic fluctuations. In this article, we show that the origin of the echo is located in or close to the region of particle precipitation and that the echo region itself is limited to hundreds of meters.
J. Park, H. Lühr, C. Stolle, G. Malhotra, J. B. H. Baker, S. Buchert, and R. Gill
Ann. Geophys., 33, 829–835, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-829-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-829-2015, 2015
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Though high-latitude plasma convection has been monitored with a number of methods, more independent measurements are still warranted. In this study we introduce an automatic method to estimate along-track plasma drift velocity in the high-latitude ionosphere using the Swarm constellation. The obtained velocity is in qualitative agreement with Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) data. The method can be generalized to any satellite constellations in pearls-on-a-string configurations.
T. Živković, S. Buchert, P. Ritter, L. Palin, and H. Opgenoorth
Ann. Geophys., 33, 623–635, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-623-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-623-2015, 2015
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In this paper we analyze 21 conjunctions between the Cluster and CHAMP satellites while they were passing magnetic cusp during relatively quiet solar activity. Only three of the conjunctions reveal field-aligned currents on both satellites as well as neutral density enhancement in the thermosphere. Poynting and electron energy fluxes (EEF) as well as Joule heating were computed and the conclusion is that for these weak events EEF has the strongest contribution to the observed density increase.
M. Myllys, N. Partamies, and L. Juusola
Ann. Geophys., 33, 573–581, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-573-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-573-2015, 2015
E. D. Tereshchenko, R. Y. Yurik, and L. Baddeley
Ann. Geophys., 33, 295–300, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-295-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-295-2015, 2015
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The results of stimulated electromagnetic emission (SEE) polarization investigations under different modes of the pumping wave polarization are presented. The results were obtained in November 2012 during a heating campaign utilizing the SPEAR heating facility and a PGI radio interferometer. The polarization ellipse parameters of the SEE DM components were determined. It was found that the polarization direction of DM components was preserved under different polarizations of the pump waves.
F. Sigernes, S. E. Holmen, D. Biles, H. Bjørklund, X. Chen, M. Dyrland, D. A. Lorentzen, L. Baddeley, T. Trondsen, U. Brändström, E. Trondsen, B. Lybekk, J. Moen, S. Chernouss, and C. S. Deehr
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 3, 241–245, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-3-241-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-3-241-2014, 2014
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A two-step procedure to calibrate the spectral sensitivity of auroral all-sky (fish-eye) cameras is outlined. First, center pixel response is obtained by the use of a Lambertian surface and a standard tungsten lamp. Second, all-sky flat-field correction is carried out with an integrating sphere.
B. J. Jackel, C. Unick, M. T. Syrjäsuo, N. Partamies, J. A. Wild, E. E. Woodfield, I. McWhirter, E. Kendall, and E. Spanswick
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 3, 71–94, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-3-71-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-3-71-2014, 2014
D. K. Whiter, B. Gustavsson, N. Partamies, and L. Sangalli
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 2, 131–144, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-2-131-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-2-131-2013, 2013
N. Partamies, L. Juusola, E. Tanskanen, and K. Kauristie
Ann. Geophys., 31, 349–358, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-349-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-349-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Earth's ionosphere & aeronomy | Keywords: Polar ionosphere
Fine-scale dynamics of fragmented aurora-like emissions
Polar tongue of ionisation during geomagnetic superstorm
Plasma density gradients at the edge of polar ionospheric holes: the absence of phase scintillation
AMPERE polar cap boundaries
Characteristics of the layered polar mesosphere summer echoes occurrence ratio observed by EISCAT VHF 224 MHz radar
Daniel K. Whiter, Hanna Sundberg, Betty S. Lanchester, Joshua Dreyer, Noora Partamies, Nickolay Ivchenko, Marco Zaccaria Di Fraia, Rosie Oliver, Amanda Serpell-Stevens, Tiffany Shaw-Diaz, and Thomas Braunersreuther
Ann. Geophys., 39, 975–989, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-975-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-975-2021, 2021
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This paper presents an analysis of high-resolution optical and radar observations of a phenomenon called fragmented aurora-like emissions (FAEs) observed close to aurora in the high Arctic. The observations suggest that FAEs are not caused by high-energy electrons or protons entering the atmosphere along Earth's magnetic field and are, therefore, not aurora. The speeds of the FAEs and their internal dynamics were measured and used to evaluate theories for how the FAEs are produced.
Dimitry Pokhotelov, Isabel Fernandez-Gomez, and Claudia Borries
Ann. Geophys., 39, 833–847, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-833-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-833-2021, 2021
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During geomagnetic storms, enhanced solar wind and changes in the interplanetary magnetic field lead to ionisation anomalies across the polar regions. The superstorm of 20 November 2003 was one of the largest events in recent history. Numerical simulations of ionospheric dynamics during the storm are compared with plasma observations to understand the mechanisms forming the polar plasma anomalies. The results are important for understanding and forecasting space weather in polar regions.
Luke A. Jenner, Alan G. Wood, Gareth D. Dorrian, Kjellmar Oksavik, Timothy K. Yeoman, Alexandra R. Fogg, and Anthea J. Coster
Ann. Geophys., 38, 575–590, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-575-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-575-2020, 2020
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The boundary of regions with a plasma density much lower than background was investigated in the northern polar cap using observations of ionospheric plasma density. Similar regions with an above-background density have been linked to fluctuations in phase and amplitude in radio waves traversing the density gradient at their boundary. These fluctuations were absent through the gradient in the below-background regions; thus, a minimum of both density and gradient are required for scintillation.
Angeline G. Burrell, Gareth Chisham, Stephen E. Milan, Liam Kilcommons, Yun-Ju Chen, Evan G. Thomas, and Brian Anderson
Ann. Geophys., 38, 481–490, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-481-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-481-2020, 2020
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The Earth's polar upper atmosphere changes along with the magnetic field, other parts of the atmosphere, and the Sun. When studying these changes, knowing the polar region that the data come from is vital, as different processes dominate the area where the aurora is and poleward of the aurora (the polar cap). The boundary between these areas is hard to find, so this study used a different boundary and figured out how they are related. Future studies can now find their polar region more easily.
Shucan Ge, Hailong Li, Tong Xu, Mengyan Zhu, Maoyan Wang, Lin Meng, Safi Ullah, and Abdur Rauf
Ann. Geophys., 37, 417–427, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-37-417-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-37-417-2019, 2019
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The paper investigates the occurrence of polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSEs) over a solar cycle. Besides the statistical study of the layered PMSE occurrence ratio, the authors propose a method to deal with the discontinuous EISCAT radar measurements. The method makes it easier to establish a relationship between the layered PMSEs and solar and geomagnetic activities. The paper presents a relatively large data set that brings results. It can be recommended in future research on the PMSEs.
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Short summary
Small-scale auroral features are still being discovered and are not well understood. Where aurorae are caused by particle precipitation, the newly reported fragmented aurora-like emissions (FAEs) seem to be locally generated in the ionosphere (hence,
aurora-like). We analyse data from multiple instruments located near Longyearbyen to derive their main characteristics. They seem to occur as two types in a narrow altitude region (individually or in regularly spaced groups).
Small-scale auroral features are still being discovered and are not well understood. Where...
