HuifengGengDefinitionandCauseImagesColorsMythologyContentsAnauroraisanaturallightdisplayinthesky(fromtheLatinwordaurora,“sunrise”ortheRomangoddessofdawn),predominantlyseeninthehighlatitude(ArcticandAntarctic)regions.DefinitionandCause•DefinitionAuroraearecausedbycosmicrays(宇宙辐射线),solarwindandmagnetosphericplasma(磁能层的等离子体)interactingwiththeupperatmosphere(thermosphere(热大气层)/exosphere(外大气层)).Theirchargedparticles(带电粒子),mainlyelectrons(电子)andprotons(质子),entertheatmospherefromabovecausingionization(电离)andexcitationofatmosphericconstituents,andconsequentlightemissions(发光).Incidentprotonscanalsoproduceemissionsashydrogenatomsaftergaininganelectronfromtheatmosphere.DefinitionandCause•CauseImagesThealtitudeswhereauroraemissionsoccurwererevealedbyCarlStørmerandhiscolleagueswhousedcamerastotriangulatemorethan12,000aurorae.Theydiscoveredthatmostofthelightisproducedbetween90and150kmabovetheground,whileextendingattimestomorethan1000km.Imagesofaurorasaresignificantlymorecommontodaythaninthepastduetotheincreaseinuseofdigitalcamerasthathavehighenoughsensitivities.Filmanddigitalexposuretoauroraldisplaysisfraughtwithdifficulties,particularlyiffaithfulnessofreproductionisanobjective.Duetothedifferentcolorspectrumpresent,andthetemporalchangesoccurringduringtheexposure,theresultsaresomewhatunpredictable.Differentlayersofthefilmemulsionresponddifferentlytolowerlightlevels,andchoiceoffilmcanbeveryimportant.Longerexposuressuperimposerapidlychangingfeatures,andoftenblanketthedynamicattributeofadisplay.Highersensitivitycreatesissueswithgraininess.01020304ColorRedGreenYellowandPinkBlueAtthehighestaltitudes,excitedatomicoxygenemitsat630.0nm(red);lowconcentrationofatomsandlowersensitivityofeyesatthiswavelengthmakethiscolorvisibleonlyundermoreintensesolaractivity.Thelowamountofoxygenatomsandtheirgraduallydiminishingconcentrationisresponsibleforthefaintappearanceofthetoppartsofthecurtains.Scarlet,crimson,andcarminearethemostoften-seenhuesofredfortheaurorae.Atloweraltitudesthemorefrequentcollisionssuppressthe630.0nm(red)mode:ratherthe557.7nmemission(green)dominates.Fairlyhighconcentrationofatomicoxygenandhighereyesensitivityingreenmakegreenaurorasthemostcommon.Theexcitedmolecularnitrogen(atomicnitrogenbeingrareduetohighstabilityoftheN2molecule)playsitsrolehereaswell,asitcantransferenergybycollisiontoanoxygenatom,whichthenradiatesitawayatthegreenwavelength.(Redandgreencanalsomixtogethertoproducepinkoryellowhues.)Therapiddecreaseofconcentrationofatomicoxygenbelowabout100kmisresponsiblefortheabrupt-lookingendoftheloweredgesofthecurtains.Yellowandpinkareamixofredandgreenorblue.Othershadesofredaswellasorangemaybeseenonrareoccasions;yellow-greenismoderatelycommon.Asred,green,andbluearetheprimarycolorsofadditivesynthesis(合成)ofcolors,intheorypracticallyanycolormightbepossible.Atyetloweraltitudes,atomicoxygenisuncommon,andionizedmolecularnitrogentakesoverinproducingvisiblelightemission;itradiatesatalargenumberofwavelengthsinbothredandbluepartsofthespectrum,with428nm(blue)beingdominant.Blueandpurpleemissions,typicallyattheloweredgesofthecurtains,showupatthehighestlevelsofsolaractivity.TheValkyrior(瓦尔基里)arewarlikevirgins,mounted(骑上)uponhorsesandarmedwithhelmetsandspears.Whentheyrideforthontheirerrand(使命),theirarmourshedsastrangeflickeringlight,whichflashesupoverthenorthernskies,makingwhatMencalltheauroraborealis,orNorthernLights.TheValkyriorFamousAurorastendtobefromSpanishspeakingcountries.ActressesincludeAuroraClavelandAuroraBautista.AuthorsincludeAuroraCaceresandAuroraLevinsMorales.AuroraReyesFloreswasamemberofthemuralistmovementandAuroraEstradaOrozcowasaMexicanAmericancommunityleader.FamouspersonsnamedAurora