Formation of continuum emission structures associated with the aurora

Recently developed ground-based auroral imagers have facilitated the first observations of structured continuum emissions that appear to be tied to the dynamic aurora. Unlike the aurora, which is comprised of discrete line emissions, the continuum emission structures are a result of a nearly uniform enhancement in intensity across the visible spectrum. These newly observed auroral continuum emissions lack any preferential alignment, yet exhibit spatial structure that evolves on timescales relative to surrounding auroral dynamics. In this study, I statistically analyze 52 such events to characterize the geomagnetic conditions associated with their occurrence. I examine solar wind data and geomagnetic indices to quantify the state of the global geomagnetic environment and use ground-based optical observations alongside an auroral transport model to characterize the local ionosphere. I also examine one continuum structure in detail as a case study, to assess spatial coherence of the structure’s energetic properties.