Abstract

Measurements of the nocturnal ground irradiance in the 0.4–1-μm spectral region during clear weather from five different sites covering geographic latitudes of 60–80°N are reported. The aurora dominates the ground irradiance. For latitudes from the auroral zone and south a diurnal variation with maximum irradiance around geomagnetic midnight is found. The relative variation of ground irradiance vs latitude follows closely the average auroral occurrence frequency except for extreme high latitudes. In the auroral zone region an average irradiance level of 3.8 μW cm⁻² sr⁻¹μm⁻¹ × 10⁻³ is found. This about eight times the corresponding ground irradiance outside auroral regions.

© 1985 Optical Society of America

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