Optical Auroral Observations from Syowa Station

Auroral observations have been collected continuously since the establishment of Syowa Station in 1957. The dataset includes video signals, digital still images, and digital data files from instruments like all-sky imagers and meridian scanning photometers. It is archived by the WDC for Aurora and Space and Upper Atmospheric Science group at NIPR.

Use Cases

• Analyze auroral dynamics and morphology using video signals from the All-sky TV camera (ATV).
• Study spectral emissions at specific wavelengths like 557.7 nm or 630.0 nm from All-sky monochromatic imager (ASI) data.
• Investigate conjugate auroral phenomena by comparing images from the Conjugate auroral imager (CAI) in Antarctica and Iceland.
• Model auroral energy deposition using multi-wavelength data from the seven-channel meridian scanning photometer (SPM).

Strengths

• Observations span over six decades, starting from 1957.
• Data includes simultaneous observations at seven distinct wavelengths from the SPM instrument.
• Real-time data transfer is implemented for the All-sky TV camera.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and total data volume are unknown.
• Data retrieval for non-real-time instruments depends on annual ship transport, causing latency.

Provenance

Source

SCIOPS via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Ground-based optical observations using all-sky imagers, TV cameras, scanning photometers, and conjugate imagers.

Time Range

1957 to present.

Freshness

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Geography

Syowa Station, Antarctica; conjugate observations in Husafell, Iceland.