Auroræ: Their Characters and SpectraCapron, J. Rand
History
Auroræ: Their Characters and Spectra
Capron, J. Rand
Auroras
More or less parallel with this line are the lines on which annually
nearly the same number of Auroræ are seen. The line for one Aurora
annually went from Bordeaux, through Switzerland, past Krakau, south of
Moscow and Tobolsk, to the northern end of Lake Baikal, on to the Sea of
Ochotsk and to the Southern Aleutes, thence through Northern California
to the mouth of the Mississippi and to Bordeaux. The line for five Auroræ
annually went from Brest through Belgium, Stettin, Wologda, between
Tobolsk and Beresow, parallel to the previous line to Ochotsk, and on to
Brest, &c. Almost exactly with the line of greatest frequency coincides
the line forming the boundary of the direction of visibility of the
Northern Light towards the Pole or towards the Equator; while northwards
of this line the Polar Light is seen in the direction towards the
Equator; and from all stations the Northern Lights are seen in directions
which are pretty much normal to that curve and the entire system of
isochasms.
[Sidenote: Assumed connexion between Aurora and ice-formation.]
Professor Fritz has remarked that the curves of greater frequency tend
towards the region of atmospheric pressure, and also that they bear some
relation to the limit of perpetual ice—tending most southward where, as
in North America, the ice limit comes further south. He also endeavours
to show a connexion between the periods of maximum of Auroræ and those
of ice-formation, and considers ice to be an important local cause
influencing their distribution. These being most frequently seen over
open water in the Arctic regions, has been referred to as noticed by
Franklin and others.
_Extent and principal Zone of the Aurora._
[Sidenote: Extent and principal zone of Aurora. M. Moberg’s Finland
observations (1846-55) compared by Prof. Fritz with those in other
regions.]
The Finland observations, published by M. Moberg in his ‘Polarlichter
Katalogue’ of Northern Lights in the years 1846-55, numbering 1100, have
been compared by Prof. Fritz, in his paper in the ‘Wochenschrift für
Astronomie,’ with the auroral phenomena of the same period in all other
regions. The Table shows that of 2035 days of the months August to April
on which Northern Lights were seen, 1107 days were those of Northern
Lights for Finland. On 794 they were visible simultaneously in America,
and mostly also in Europe; on 101 days in Europe only, and on 212 days
in Finland only. On 958 days Northern Lights were visible in Europe and
America which were not visible in Finland. All these numbers refer only
to the months August to April, as in the remaining months the brightness
of the night in Finland makes such observations impossible.
The conclusion is arrived at that a large portion of Auroræ have no very
great extension, or that the causes producing the phenomena must often be
of a very local character; while in another portion of the phenomena the
extent, or the regions of simultaneous appearance are very considerable.
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