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VIIRS DNB Aurora Event7/15/2012 – 7/17/2012

William Straka III (CIMSS) utilizing data from CSPP @SSECVisualized in McIDAS-V

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Overview

– On July 12, 2012 an X-1.4-class solar flare erupted from Active Region 1520 (AR1520), which rotated into view on July 6

– Consequently, late July 14, early July 15, a G2 geomagnetic storm impacted the Earth’s magnetic field.• Analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab say that satellites in

geosynchronous orbit may have been directly exposed to solar wind plasma.– The resulted in the Aurora borealis was seen in lower latitudes

• Spaceweather.com showed images of the aurora from Sparks Lake in central Oregon as well as several other locations in the northern CONUS area

– Because of the moonless night, the aurora was able to be seen in the Day Night Band (VIIRS) on board the Suomi NPP satellite• Because the aurora was within the stray light region, it was slightly washed

out. Utilizing McIDAS-V, the aurora was brought out while eliminating (for the most part) the stray light

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7/15/2012DNB Aurora

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NOAA Aurora map0724Z, 7/15/2012

SSEC/CIMSS

VIIRS DNB0733Z, 7/15/2012

Aurora

Winnipeg

Fires

VIIRS (11mm)0733Z, 7/15/2012

Winnipeg

VIIRS (3.74mm)0733Z, 7/15/2012

Winnipeg

VIIRS (3.74mm), Fires0733Z, 7/15/2012

Fires

Winnipeg

NOAA Aurora map0846Z, 7/15/2012

SSEC/CIMSS

VIIRS DNB0917Z, 7/15/2012

Aurora

Seattle

Clouds

VIIRS (11mm)0917Z, 7/15/2012

Seattle

VIIRS (3.74mm)0917Z, 7/15/2012

Seattle

7/16/2012DNB Aurora

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NOAA Aurora map0713Z, 7/16/2012

SSEC/CIMSS

VIIRS DNB0717Z, 7/16/2012

Aurora

Clouds

Lightning

VIIRS (11mm)0717Z, 7/16/2012

NOAA Aurora map0855Z, 7/16/2012

SSEC/CIMSS

VIIRS DNB0858Z, 7/16/2012

Aurora

Clouds

ND oil/natural gas drilling

Note clouds lit by aurora

Seattle

VIIRS (11mm)0858Z, 7/16/2012

Note clouds are oriented differently

than aurora

7/17/2012DNB Aurora

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NOAA Aurora map0642Z, 7/17/2012

SSEC/CIMSS

VIIRS DNB0658Z, 7/17/2012

Aurora

VIIRS (11mm)0658Z, 7/17/2012

Note clouds are in a different

location than aurora,

though similar orientation

NOAA Aurora map0713Z, 7/16/2012

SSEC/CIMSS

VIIRS DNB0839Z, 7/17/2012

Aurora

Clouds

Lightning

ND oil/natural gas drilling

VIIRS (11mm)0839Z, 7/17/2012