1. EoI#118 Auroral Optical Network International Network for Auroral Optical Studies of the Polar Ionosphere Ingrid Sandahl Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna Photo: Christer Fuglesang ESA/NASA

2. 2 Optical measurements are really important for understanding the aurora and the magnetosphere Temporal and spatial variations Photo: Y. Ebihara

3. 3 Spectral lines Line intensity Line intensity ratios Doppler shift Primary particle distribution Energy input Microphysics of the ionosphere

4. 4 Auroral Optical Network International Network for Auroral Optical Studies of the Polar Ionosphere IPY Expression of Intent, Jan 2005 Network for research groups carrying out optical measurements of the aurora. Forum for planning coordinated measurement campaigns and for distributing information. Intercalibration between different sets of instruments located in different parts of the world. Meeting point: Optical meetings, dedicated workshops Home page: www.irf.se/auropt Mailing list: auropt@irf.se

5. 5 Participating countries Canada China Finland Great Britain Japan Norway Russia USA Photo: Rolf Gustafsson

6. 6 http://www.irf.se/auropt Present contents – mainly links –Institutions –Instruments and observing stations –Calibrations facilities (coming) –Calendar of campaigns and meetings –Mailing list information –Popular science pages Web links List of literature

7. 7 Calibration of Optical Instruments Time for truly quantitative measurements Need for intercalibration between different instruments Need to develop calibration methods Calibration of imagers complicated Toepfer spectrograph and Geissler vacuum tube used at Treurenberg Bay, Spitsbergen 1899-1900. (Westman, 1904)

8. 8 "Daughter project": Optical Auroral Research in the Arctic Region Projekt financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers. (IPY-related projects) Participants: Apatity, Oulu, Sodankylä, Kiruna, Tromsö, Longyearbyen Workshop Sodankylä 19-23 februari Mobility sprogram Plans for the future: Common Ph. D. courses

9. 9 Imaging from space Overview, UV, dayside aurora

10. 10 Groundbased instruments Detailed information Spectrographs Photometers –Meridian scanning photometers, MSP Imaging instruments –Panchromatic/Monochromatic –FOW: Narrow to All-sky –Detector: TV, CCD, ICCD, EMCCD, (film)

11. 11 Status of groundbased optical measurements of aurora Important results from All-sky cameras during IGY 1957/58 - Auroral oval - Substorm Renewed interest Technology revolution –Digital –CCDs, EMCCDs –Lack of standardization Good instruments expensive Gaps in coverage Qantitative measurements

12. 12 Auroral imager arrays MIRACLE THEMIS all-sky imager array ALIS Automatic Geophysical Observatory (AGO) stations Svalbard

13. 13 ALIS (Auroral Large Imaging System) Six CCD detectors FOV 60 or 90 degrees Maximum resolution: 100 m at 100 km Filter wheel, 6 pos., interference filters High sensitivity,few Rayleighs Remote control Campaign mode Tomography

14. 14 ALIS data Freely available on Internet at alis.irf.se Fits format Some delay because the data must be picked up from the stations Welcome to use ALIS!

15. 15 Misato Observatory All-sky camera, Abisko tourist station http://www.abisko.nu/sommar06/aurorawebcam/index.html

16. 16 Auroral photos obtained in 1899 by Josef Sykora at Konstantinovka, Spitsbergen

17. 17 Proposed role in ICESTAR/IHY Contact for optical research groups on the following topics: Antarctic Space Weather service Interhemispheric comparisons Dayside geospace phenomena Physics of 630 nm emission Plasmasphere dynamics Universality of auroras

18. 18 Challenges--things to discuss In what ways can the Auroral Optical Network help the scientific coummunity? How do we avoid duplicating work? Interface to GAIA? Should we register a neutral address? What should we do about calibration?

19. 19 Conclusions Optical measurements are necessary to understand the aurora We should take advantage of the possibilities of modern instrumentation The purpose of the Auroral Optical Network is to promote collaboration in the field of optical auroral research during IPY and beyond.