Spatial characteristics of pulsating aurora as a function of latitude

English Abstract:

We will present an analysis of the spatial characteristics of pulsating aurora from 3 different latitudes where pulsating auroral features have been observed using green line all-sky imaging at 3 frames per second. At higher latitudes---near the polar cap boundary at 74 degrees geomagnetic latitude---the auroral patches of pulsating appear larger and more spread out longitudinally. At auroral latitudes of 66 degrees geomagnetic latitude---where we have the most observations--the patches are smaller and irregularly shaped. At lower latitudes--sub-auroral, 55 degrees geomagnetic latitude--the auroral patches are even smaller. We will quantify the differences between the spatial characteristics of pulsating aurora at these three different latitudes. An understanding of these differences in spatial characteristics will be used to gain insight into the magnetospheric processes causing the electron precipitation for these three distinctly different latitude regimes.