Auroras during extreme geomagnetic storms: Visual observations of the SAR arc in Irkutsk during the 1859 Carrington event

The paper analyzes the description in chronicles of the September 2, 1859 auroras observed in Irkutsk during the Carrington event. The description of the red arc by an eyewitness, the analysis of geomagnetic conditions, publications on visual observations of auroras of various forms at middle and lo...

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Main Authors: Mikhalev Aleksandr, Beletsky Aleksandr
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: INFRA-M 2025-03-01
Series:Solar-Terrestrial Physics
Subjects:
Online Access:http://doi.org/10.12737/stp-111202505
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author Mikhalev Aleksandr
Beletsky Aleksandr
author_facet Mikhalev Aleksandr
Beletsky Aleksandr
author_sort Mikhalev Aleksandr
collection DOAJ
description The paper analyzes the description in chronicles of the September 2, 1859 auroras observed in Irkutsk during the Carrington event. The description of the red arc by an eyewitness, the analysis of geomagnetic conditions, publications on visual observations of auroras of various forms at middle and low latitudes during this period, modern instrumental observations of SAR arcs at the latitude of Irkutsk have allowed us to assume that the red arc described in the chronicles is a SAR arc — one of the auroral types at subauroral and middle latitudes observed during geomagnetic storms. We have established that in Irkutsk the SAR arc was observed during the recovery phase of the magnetic superstorm. The intensity of the SAR arc was estimated at ~10–20 kR. The projection of the plasmapause onto the ionosphere on September 2, 1859 at ~12 UT was at the latitude of Irkutsk. We can assume that the description of the aurora borealis on September 2, 1859 in Irkutsk is the first objective description of the SAR arc, a century before its discovery as a phenomenon in 1958.
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spelling doaj-art-5bbc40a7d7e44559ae26ee29c60a890c2025-08-20T02:30:31ZengINFRA-MSolar-Terrestrial Physics2500-05352025-03-01111444810.12737/stp-111202505Auroras during extreme geomagnetic storms: Visual observations of the SAR arc in Irkutsk during the 1859 Carrington eventMikhalev Aleksandr0Beletsky Aleksandr1Institute of Solar Terrestrial Physics SB RASInstitute of Solar Terrestrial Physics SB RASThe paper analyzes the description in chronicles of the September 2, 1859 auroras observed in Irkutsk during the Carrington event. The description of the red arc by an eyewitness, the analysis of geomagnetic conditions, publications on visual observations of auroras of various forms at middle and low latitudes during this period, modern instrumental observations of SAR arcs at the latitude of Irkutsk have allowed us to assume that the red arc described in the chronicles is a SAR arc — one of the auroral types at subauroral and middle latitudes observed during geomagnetic storms. We have established that in Irkutsk the SAR arc was observed during the recovery phase of the magnetic superstorm. The intensity of the SAR arc was estimated at ~10–20 kR. The projection of the plasmapause onto the ionosphere on September 2, 1859 at ~12 UT was at the latitude of Irkutsk. We can assume that the description of the aurora borealis on September 2, 1859 in Irkutsk is the first objective description of the SAR arc, a century before its discovery as a phenomenon in 1958.http://doi.org/10.12737/stp-111202505carrington event auroras SAR arc mid-latitude airglow
spellingShingle Mikhalev Aleksandr
Beletsky Aleksandr
Auroras during extreme geomagnetic storms: Visual observations of the SAR arc in Irkutsk during the 1859 Carrington event
Solar-Terrestrial Physics
carrington event
auroras
SAR arc
mid-latitude airglow
title Auroras during extreme geomagnetic storms: Visual observations of the SAR arc in Irkutsk during the 1859 Carrington event
title_full Auroras during extreme geomagnetic storms: Visual observations of the SAR arc in Irkutsk during the 1859 Carrington event
title_fullStr Auroras during extreme geomagnetic storms: Visual observations of the SAR arc in Irkutsk during the 1859 Carrington event
title_full_unstemmed Auroras during extreme geomagnetic storms: Visual observations of the SAR arc in Irkutsk during the 1859 Carrington event
title_short Auroras during extreme geomagnetic storms: Visual observations of the SAR arc in Irkutsk during the 1859 Carrington event
title_sort auroras during extreme geomagnetic storms visual observations of the sar arc in irkutsk during the 1859 carrington event
topic carrington event
auroras
SAR arc
mid-latitude airglow
url http://doi.org/10.12737/stp-111202505
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