Aurorae observed by Giuseppe Toaldo in Padua (1766–1797)

Domínguez‐Castro, Fernando; Vaquero, J. M.; Bertolin, Chiara; Gallego, M. C.; Guía, Cristina de la; Camuffo, Dario

doi:10.1051/swsc/2016016

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…This was especially the case with the extreme storms such as the Hydro-Québec storm in March 1989, where sequence of ICMEs cause one of the most extreme geomagnetic storms in the space age and significant extension of the auroral oval (Allen et al, 1989;Boteler, 2019;Cid et al, 2014;Yokoyama et al, 1998). As such, midlatitude auroral reports have formed one of the important clues to understanding the space weather and space climate in the past (e.g., Domínguez-Castro et al, 2016;Hayakawa, Mitsuma, et al, 2019;Lockwood et al, 2016;Lockwood & Barnard, 2015;Riley et al, 2018;Silverman, 1992;Usoskin et al, 2013Usoskin et al, , 2015Vaquero et al, 2010;Vázquez et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Analysis of Trouvelot's Auroral Drawing on 1/2 March 1872: Plausible Evidence for Recurrent Geomagnetic Storms

et al. 2020

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This work examines Trouvelot's observations and drawing of an auroral display during the night of 1 March 1872. It is known that the auroral oval moves equatorward to midlatitude and even low latitude during large geomagnetic storms. Trouvelot's graphical record of the great aurora on 1 March 1872 has been often cited as a remarkable example of a midlatitude aurora, although it is puzzling that this apparently occurred on a geomagnetically quiet day. Kataoka et al. (2019, JSWSC, 9, A16) even criticised this as a dating error. Here, we investigate Trouvelot's descriptions and available geomagnetic measurements in detail. Our analysis shows that the original date of Trouvelot's auroral drawing is most probably accurate in local time. Moreover, Trouvelot's descriptions and the observational site show that the auroral visibility fell at the beginning of 2 March 1872 in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Consulting simultaneous variations of magnetograms at Helsinki and Greenwich, we found that the nightside aurora specifically coincides with the initial phase of the storm (substorm) and suggests a close association with a substorm triggered by sudden magnetospheric compression. This case study shows that short geomagnetic storms can be overlooked in a daily aa index and they can also cause midlatitude aurorae. Moreover, we found ≈27-day intervals between this storm, the extreme storms on 4-6 February 1872, and another "bright aurora" that was reported on 6 January 1872. Based on their intervals, these midlatitude aurorae have probably resulted from recurrent solar activity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Analysis of Trouvelot's Auroral Drawing on 1/2 March 1872: Plausible Evidence for Recurrent Geomagnetic Storms

et al. 2020

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“…Moreover, the whitish auroral colour may be explained by the enhancement of the 557.7 nm of oxygen with weak brightness or the oxygen mixture with other emissions as well (Ebihara et al, 2017;Stephenson et al, 2019). Examples of observation which confirm that LMLAs are whitish in colour during extreme space weather events are reported by Ebihara et al (2017), , Hayakawa et al (2017b) and Willis et al (1996). Rozier observed a white aurora: this made the phenomenon more unusual and increased the possibility of misinterpretation of the phenomenon by Rozier himself.…”

Section: Colourmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Nevertheless, the beginning of the aurora could resemble some aspect of an auroral sub-storm expansion (Ebihara et al, 2017;Stephenson et al, 2019) which is characterized by initial brightening of aurora, followed by a bulge expanding in all directions (Akasofu, 1964;Akasofu et al, 1965): "I noticed a luminous point [. .…”

Section: Shapementioning

confidence: 99%

“…During the 18th century, in Europe, there were some professional observers who were familiar with the phenomenon and who recorded auroras systematically, e.g. Francisco Salvà (Barcelona, Spain) (Vaquero et al, 2010) and Giuseppe Toaldo (Padua, Italy) (Domínguez-Castro et al, 2016). Nevertheless, there were many sporadic observers who also recorded LMLAs unknowingly, cataloging them as strange and inexplicable phenomena.…”

Section: Background and Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An early mid-latitude aurora observed by Rozier (Béziers, 1780)

2020

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Abstract. Aurora observations are an uncommon phenomenon at low and mid latitudes that, at the end of the 18th century, were not well known and understood. Low and mid geomagnetic latitude aurora observations provide information about episodes of intense solar storms associated with flares and outstanding coronal mass ejection (CME) and about the variation of the geomagnetic field. However, for many observers at mid and low latitudes, the features of a northern light were unknown, so they could easily report it as a phenomenon without explanation. In this work, we found that an earlier mid geomagnetic latitude aurora was observed in Beauséjour, close to Béziers (43∘19′ N, 3∘13′ E), France, by the abbot François Rozier. He was a meticulous botanist, doctor and agronomist with a special interest in atmospheric phenomena. On 15 August 1780, from 19:55 to 20:07 (Universal Time), François Rozier observed a “phosphoric cloud”. A careful analysis of the report indicates that he was reporting an auroral event. The recovery of auroral events at low and mid latitude during the 1780s is very useful for shedding light on solar activity during this period because there are few records of sunspot observations.

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“…As such, mid-and low-latitude aurorae have formed footprints of major magnetic storms and hence major geo-effective solar eruptions (Schlegel & Schlegel, 2011;Shiokawa, Ogawa, & Kamide, 2005;Silverman, 2006;Vallance Jones, 1992;Willis, Henwood, & Stephenson, 2006;Willis, Vaquero, & Stephenson, 2009). Therefore, such auroral reports have been one of the key pathways to understand solar-terrestrial interactions in the past in terms of their long-term variability and cyclicity (Domínguez-Castro et al, 2016;Lockwood & Barnard, 2015;Lockwood et al, 2016;Silverman, 1992;Usoskin et al, 2015Usoskin et al, , 2013Vázquez, Vaquero, Gallego, Roca Cortés, & Pallé, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A possible case of sporadic aurora observed at Rio de Janeiro

Oliveira

Hayakawa

Bhaskar

et al. 2020

Earth Planets Space

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Being footprints of major magnetic storms and hence major solar eruptions, midto low-latitude aurorae have been one of the pathways to understand solar-terrestrial environments. However, it has been reported that aurorae are also occasionally observed at low latitudes under low or even quiet magnetic conditions. Such phenomena are known as "sporadic aurorae". We report on a historical event observed by a scientist of the Brazilian Empire in Rio de Janeiro on 15 February 1875. We analyze this event on the basis of its spectroscopic observations, along with its visual structure and coloration, to suggest this event was a possible case of sporadic aurorae. Given the absence of worldwide aurora observations on that day as a consequence of low magnetic activity recorded on the days preceding the observation, in addition to a detailed description, the event observed can most likely be classified as a sporadic aurora. We discuss the geographic and magnetic conditions of that event. Thus, we add a possible case of sporadic aurora in the South American sector.

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Aurorae observed by Giuseppe Toaldo in Padua (1766–1797)

Cited by 7 publications

References 37 publications

An Analysis of Trouvelot's Auroral Drawing on 1/2 March 1872: Plausible Evidence for Recurrent Geomagnetic Storms

An Analysis of Trouvelot's Auroral Drawing on 1/2 March 1872: Plausible Evidence for Recurrent Geomagnetic Storms

An early mid-latitude aurora observed by Rozier (Béziers, 1780)

A possible case of sporadic aurora observed at Rio de Janeiro

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