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Auroral mechanisms and morphology
Author(s) -
Swift Daniel W.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/rg017i004p00681
Subject(s) - hiss , ionosphere , geophysics , radar , physics , incoherent scatter , atmospheric electricity , electron precipitation , sky , bremsstrahlung , astronomy , remote sensing , meteorology , magnetosphere , geology , plasma , electron , electric field , computer science , telecommunications , quantum mechanics
This past quadrennium has witnessed a considerable expansion of our knowledge and understanding of processes responsible for the aurora. Because of the number and diversity of contributions, a complete description is difficult, and many topics are presented here in summary form only. Instead, this review will emphasize the major accomplishments and outline the major problems that should be addressed during the next quadrennium. The scope of this review includes observations, analysis of observations and theoretical work which are likely to be relevant to the understanding of the aurora. Ground‐based observations reviewed include (l) auroral imagery, both by television and all‐sky camera, (2) gross magnetic variations indicative of ionospheric currents, (3) VLF hiss observations, and (4) effects of high‐energy electron impact measured through cosmic radio noise absorption and by observations of bremsStrahlung x‐rays from balloons. Not included in this review are spectroscopic observations, observation of micropulsation activity and auroral radar observations, as these observations seem to provide less direct diagnostic information on the basic auroral mechanism. However, incoherent scatter radar observations are utilized to the extent they provide information on ionospheric currents and electric fields.