New Insight Into the Transition From a SAR Arc to STEVE

Abstract

AbstractIn this study, we present an analysis of the spectral transition of a Stable Auroral Red (SAR) arc to Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement (STEVE) emission observed by the Transition Region Explorer (TREx) Spectrograph on the night of 10 April 2022, recorded overhead in Lucky Lake, Saskatchewan. On this night, we see an unusually bright (∼2 kR) SAR arc with enhanced ionospheric flow channels in the conjugate southern hemisphere. Over a short time, on the order of minutes, we observe the spectra change from the typical SAR arc pure redline (630 and 636 nm) emission to the air glow continuum, a broadband enhancement across all wavelengths, characteristic of STEVE. We propose the presence of threshold conditions required for the SAR arc to evolve into STEVE. In addition, we present parameters such as transition times, luminosities, and arc motion to be applied to ionospheric models.