AURORAE AND EARTH‐CURRENTS

Abstract

A comparison of auroral observations and earth‐current records from the College‐Fairbanks Station during the International Polar Year 1932–33 shows considerable agreement between the aurorae and disturbances in the earth‐current records. Coefficients of linear correlation from 0.71 to 0.76 were obtained from the records for 80 clear nights. Effects associated with brilliant isolated auroral displays at College are readily detected in the earth‐current records at Tucson, Arizona, and in exceptional cases, in records obtained as far south as Huancayo, Peru. Oscillatory disturbances in the earth‐current records and moving types of aurora, respectively, seem to show the highest degree of correlation. These results are at variance with comparisons of magnetic and auroral records which indicate a lack of relationship between the two phenomena.