Rights statement: ©2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Imaging space weather over Europe
AU - Baumgardner, Jeffrey
AU - Wroten, Joei
AU - Mendillo, Michael
AU - Martinis, Carlos
AU - Barbieri, Cesare
AU - Umbriaco, Gabriele
AU - Mitchell, Cathryn
AU - Kinrade, Joe
AU - Materassi, Massimo
AU - Ciraolo, Luigi
AU - Hairston, Marc
N1 - ©2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
PY - 2013/2
Y1 - 2013/2
N2 - [1] We describe the introduction of the first all-sky imaging system for low-light-level optical observations of the disturbed ionosphere over mid-latitude Europe. Using 6300 angstrom auroral emissions that come from the 200-400 km altitude range, we demonstrate that sub-visual optical patterns spanning the European continent can be obtained from a single site in Italy. Pilot observations during the 26-27 September 2011 geomagnetic storm show that the diffuse aurora's low latitude boundary can be used to find where the poleward wall of the ionospheric trough is located. This relates directly to regions of radiowave disruptions caused by the precipitation of energetic particles from the magnetospheric plasma sheet that move to lower latitudes during space weather events. Images of stable auroral red (SAR) arcs can be used to track the magnetospheric ring current and plasmapause location, a second region of radiowave interference. Comparisons with ground-based and satellite observations of the ionosphere during the same storm demonstrate how ASI images reveal the lowest energy components of magnetospheric input to the ionosphere-thermosphere system. Such observations can be used, potentially, for both now-casting of storm effects spanning Europe, and for retrospective validation of existing models of space weather impacts at sub-auroral locations. Citation: Baumgardner, J., et al. (2013), Imaging space weather over Europe, Space Weather, 11, 69-78, doi:10.1002/swe.20027.
AB - [1] We describe the introduction of the first all-sky imaging system for low-light-level optical observations of the disturbed ionosphere over mid-latitude Europe. Using 6300 angstrom auroral emissions that come from the 200-400 km altitude range, we demonstrate that sub-visual optical patterns spanning the European continent can be obtained from a single site in Italy. Pilot observations during the 26-27 September 2011 geomagnetic storm show that the diffuse aurora's low latitude boundary can be used to find where the poleward wall of the ionospheric trough is located. This relates directly to regions of radiowave disruptions caused by the precipitation of energetic particles from the magnetospheric plasma sheet that move to lower latitudes during space weather events. Images of stable auroral red (SAR) arcs can be used to track the magnetospheric ring current and plasmapause location, a second region of radiowave interference. Comparisons with ground-based and satellite observations of the ionosphere during the same storm demonstrate how ASI images reveal the lowest energy components of magnetospheric input to the ionosphere-thermosphere system. Such observations can be used, potentially, for both now-casting of storm effects spanning Europe, and for retrospective validation of existing models of space weather impacts at sub-auroral locations. Citation: Baumgardner, J., et al. (2013), Imaging space weather over Europe, Space Weather, 11, 69-78, doi:10.1002/swe.20027.
KW - AURORAL RED ARCS
KW - IONOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES
KW - PROTON AURORA
KW - POLAR-CAP
KW - SAR ARC
KW - PLASMA
U2 - 10.1002/swe.20027
DO - 10.1002/swe.20027
M3 - Journal article
VL - 11
SP - 69
EP - 78
JO - Space Weather
JF - Space Weather
SN - 1539-4956
IS - 2
ER -