Earth Auroral Kilometric Radiation

Earth Auroral Kilometric Radiation (AKR)

Spectrogram of Earth auroral kilometric radiation

Earth Auroral Kilometric Radiation (AKR)

Auroral radio emissions are associated with the northern lights or aurora. Studies, primarily using auroral imagers and low-frequency radio receivers constructed at The University of Iowa, have shown the aurora is caused by energetic electrons striking the atmosphere and that these same electrons generate intense radio emissions over a frequency range about 100 to 500 kHz. University of Iowa instrumentation also revealed that similar radio emissions occur in association with aurora at Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Earth Auroral Kilometric Radiation (AKR)

Auroral radio emissions are associated with the northern lights or aurora. Studies, primarily using auroral imagers and low-frequency radio receivers constructed at The University of Iowa, have shown the aurora is caused by energetic electrons striking the atmosphere and that these same electrons generate intense radio emissions over a frequency range about 100 to 500 kHz. University of Iowa instrumentation also revealed that similar radio emissions occur in association with aurora at Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Return to "Favorite Sounds" page

Return to "Space Audio" page

© The University of Iowa 2003-2018. All rights reserved. Audio clips freely licensed.
Contact information. Send questions or comments to the site custodian.
The Radio and Plasma Wave Group, Department of Physics & Astronomy, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.