What is the meaning of auroral?
auroral Add to list Share. An aurora is an astronomical phenomenon, when colored lights seem to shimmer in the sky. Auroral refers to that display––you might describe it as a show of auroral light. The best known aurora is the aurora borealis, otherwise known as the northern lights.
What is the importance of the aurora?
These colorful lights are constantly changing shape and intensity, from dim and scattered to bright enough to read by. The dancing lights of the aurora provide spectacular views from the ground, and also capture the imaginations of scientists who study incoming energy and particles from the Sun.
How does aurora occur?
As solar wind approaches the Earth, it meets the Earth’s magnetic field. In the ionosphere, the ions of the solar wind collide with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen from the Earth’s atmosphere. The energy released during these collisions causes a colorful glowing halo around the poles—an aurora.
What is auroral reflection?
In auroral propagation, electromagnetic energy is reflected from highly ionized auroral “curtains” above the north and south polar regions. The phenomenon of the electromagnetic energy being returned to the earth as a result of unusual solar activity causing aurora. The aurora occur in the ionosphere.
What is the auroral zone?
noun. the region surrounding the north or south geomagnetic pole in which the auroral phenomena take place.
How does aurora look like?
They can look like an orange or red glow on the horizon — like a sunrise or sunset. Sometimes they may be mistaken for fires in the distance, like the American Indians thought. They can look like curtains or ribbons and move and undulate during the night. Auroras can be green, red or blue.
Where can you see auroras?
So the best places to see auroras are near the magnetic poles. These include areas of northern Greenland, the Scandinavian coast, Siberia (brrr!), and Alaska in the north, and Antarctica in the south.
What is aurora in astronomy?
The northern lights, one of several astronomical phenomena called polar lights (aurora polaris), are shafts or curtains of colored light visible on occasion in the night sky. Aurora borealis – the Northern Lights. The origin of the aurora begins on the surface of the sun when solar activity ejects a cloud of gas.
Where in the ionosphere does auroral activity occur?
E-region height
Where in the ionosphere does Aurora activity occur? At E-region height there are enough atmospheric particles to produce a visible glow when the ionised particles from the sun enter the atmosphere at high velocity. You can think “E-urora”, if it will help.
What is auroral propagation?
Where can I see auroras?
- Fairbanks, Alaska. In Fairbanks, Alaska, the sky glows with the aurora borealis.
- Yellowknife, Canada. The aurora borealis spreads out above Prosperous Lake in Yellowknife, Canada.
- Tromsø, Norway.
- Northern Sweden and Finland.
- Greenland.
- Tasmania and New Zealand.
Where are auroras frequently?
Auroras are often seen in areas near the North Pole or South Pole. If you’re ever near the North or South Pole, you may be in for a very special treat. Frequently there are beautiful light shows in the sky. These lights are called auroras.
What types of auroras can be observed from space?
Other types of auroras have been observed from space, e.g.”poleward arcs” stretching sunward across the polar cap, the related “theta aurora”, and “dayside arcs” near noon. These are relatively infrequent and poorly understood. Other interesting effects occur such as flickering aurora, “black aurora” and subvisual red arcs.
What is Auroral kilometric radiation (AKR)?
In addition, the aurora and associated currents produce a strong radio emission around 150 kHz known as auroral kilometric radiation (AKR), discovered in 1972. Ionospheric absorption makes AKR only observable from space.
What does the Aurora Australis mean to Aboriginal people?
In the traditions of Aboriginal Australians, the Aurora Australis is commonly associated with fire. For example, the Gunditjmara people of western Victoria called auroras puae buae (‘ashes’), while the Gunai people of eastern Victoria perceived auroras as bushfires in the spirit world.
Are there any terrestrial auroras in the world?
Occurrence of terrestrial auroras. Most auroras occur in a band known as the auroral zone, which is typically 3° to 6° wide in latitude and between 10° and 20° from the geomagnetic poles at all local times (or longitudes), most clearly seen at night against a dark sky.