High temporal- and spatial-resolution photographs of the “Christmas” red-green auroras taken over Germany during a main phase of the 10–11 May 2024 superstorm
Abstract
Abstract. High spatial and temporal resolution images of red auroras over Germany during the 10–11 May 2024 magnetic storm have added new information concerning stable auroral red (SAR) arc formation. The high-altitude red aurora displayed brightness streaks/rays, which continued to lower altitude green auroral brightness rays, indicating that energetic electron precipitation along the Earth’s magnetic field lines are causing both auroras. Both the red and green auroras are diffuse in nature, indicating that instability of high-energy ring current particles inside the plasmasphere followed by wave-particle interactions is the most likely cause of the precipitating electrons. The 5577Å diffuse green aurora below the SAR arcs is a new scientific finding. This is named Stable Auroral Green (SAG) arcs. The SAR and SAG arc images were taken during the first and second steps of the 2024 superstorm. They occurred during intense substorms.
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Authors: Bruce Tsatnam Tsurutani, Gurbax Singh Lakhina, Rajkumar Hajra, Richard Bertram Horne, Masatomi Iizawa, Yasuhito Narita, Ingo von Borstel, Karl-Heinz Glassmeier, V. Bothmer, Klaus Reinsch, Sami Khan Solanki
Institutions: University of Göttingen, University of Science and Technology of China, Kyung Hee University, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Indian Navy, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, British Antarctic Survey, Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films