Differentiating diffuse auroras based on phenomenology

There is mounting evidence which suggests that pulsating auroral patches often move with convection. This study is an initial step at identifying the differences between patches that move with convection and those that do not. While many properties of pulsating patches vary, here we outline crite...

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Main Authors: E. Grono, E. Donovan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2018-06-01
Series:Annales Geophysicae
Online Access:https://www.ann-geophys.net/36/891/2018/angeo-36-891-2018.pdf
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author E. Grono
E. Donovan
author_facet E. Grono
E. Donovan
author_sort E. Grono
collection DOAJ
description There is mounting evidence which suggests that pulsating auroral patches often move with convection. This study is an initial step at identifying the differences between patches that move with convection and those that do not. While many properties of pulsating patches vary, here we outline criteria for separating pulsating auroral patches into three categories based on two properties: their structural stability and the spatial extent of their pulsations. Patchy aurora is characterized by stable structures whose pulsations are limited to small regions. Patchy pulsating aurora consists of stable patches whose pulsations are far less subtle and occur throughout much of their area. Amorphous pulsating auroral structures are unstable – very rapidly evolving – and can pulsate over their entire area. The speed with which amorphous pulsating aurora evolves makes their motion difficult to ascertain and seems unrelated to the <strong><i xmlns="">E</i></strong> × <strong><i xmlns="">B</i></strong> drifting of cold, equatorial plasma.
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spelling doaj.art-4a14c2648866479ba29c7fbce88a7c862022-12-22T00:12:44ZengCopernicus PublicationsAnnales Geophysicae0992-76891432-05762018-06-013689189810.5194/angeo-36-891-2018Differentiating diffuse auroras based on phenomenologyE. Grono0E. Donovan1University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaUniversity of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaThere is mounting evidence which suggests that pulsating auroral patches often move with convection. This study is an initial step at identifying the differences between patches that move with convection and those that do not. While many properties of pulsating patches vary, here we outline criteria for separating pulsating auroral patches into three categories based on two properties: their structural stability and the spatial extent of their pulsations. Patchy aurora is characterized by stable structures whose pulsations are limited to small regions. Patchy pulsating aurora consists of stable patches whose pulsations are far less subtle and occur throughout much of their area. Amorphous pulsating auroral structures are unstable – very rapidly evolving – and can pulsate over their entire area. The speed with which amorphous pulsating aurora evolves makes their motion difficult to ascertain and seems unrelated to the <strong><i xmlns="">E</i></strong> × <strong><i xmlns="">B</i></strong> drifting of cold, equatorial plasma.https://www.ann-geophys.net/36/891/2018/angeo-36-891-2018.pdf
spellingShingle E. Grono
E. Donovan
Differentiating diffuse auroras based on phenomenology
Annales Geophysicae
title Differentiating diffuse auroras based on phenomenology
title_full Differentiating diffuse auroras based on phenomenology
title_fullStr Differentiating diffuse auroras based on phenomenology
title_full_unstemmed Differentiating diffuse auroras based on phenomenology
title_short Differentiating diffuse auroras based on phenomenology
title_sort differentiating diffuse auroras based on phenomenology
url https://www.ann-geophys.net/36/891/2018/angeo-36-891-2018.pdf
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