Researchers Capture First Two-Dimensional Spectral Images of Aurorae
Top Stories Tamfitronics Two-dimensional (2D) aurora images with full spectrum have been captured by scientists in Japan using the newly-developed hyperspectral camera for auroral imaging (HySCAI).Keogram of (a) all-sky camera and (b) HySCAI, and (c) time evolution of space-averaged spectrum of aurora emission measured by HySCAI on October 20-21, 2023. Image credit: Yoshinuma et al., doi: 10.1186/s40623-024-02039-y.The aurora is a natural luminous phenomenon caused by interactions between precipitating particles and the constituents of the upper atmosphere.Most of the observed spectrum consists of lines or bands of neutral or ionized nitrogen and oxygen atoms.There is a variety of characteristic colors of aurorae, such as green and red, but there are multiple theories about the emission process by which they appear in different types of aurorae, and to understand the colors of aurorae, the light must be...
