Two-dimensional (2D) aurora images with full spectrum have been captured by scientists in Japan using the newly-developed hyperspectral camera for auroral imaging (HySCAI).
The aurora is a natural luminous phenomenon caused by interactions between precipitating particles and the constituents of the upper atmosphere. Most of the observed spectrum consists of lines or bands of neutral or ionized nitrogen and oxygen atoms. There is a variety of characteristic colors of aurorae, such as green and red, but there are multiple theories about the emission process by which they appear in different types of aurorae, and to understand the colors of aurorae, the light must be broken down. Comprehensive (temporal and spatial) spectral observations are needed to study auroral emission processes and colors in detail. "We've been observing the emission of light from plasma in a magnetic field in the Large Helical Device (LHD)," said Dr. Katsumi Ida from Japan's National Institute for Fusion Science and colleagues. "Various systems have been developed to measure the…