Magnetometer Data and Aurora Propagation

(2024-05-28) PE1ITR

I was wondering how useful my magnetometer is in detecting 144 MHz Aurora openings. I initialy made it so that an alarm goes off when the K-index is greater than 6. But will I get this in time for the action?

On this page I looked at a number of days on which there was a relatively large aurora opening. On these days I compare the magnetometer data with dxspot reports. My magnetometer started on January 1, 2004.

A given for aurora radio propagation is that the peak of the magnetic storm must coincide with and tail the aurora oval. A high K-index at the wrong time will generally not lead to an aurora opening. The graph below shows that an aurora opening at our longitude will in most cases occur between 14 and 18 UTC.

Aurora Openings

Below is a list of the larger aurora openings from 2004. Also a few smaller openings where I made QSO's at 144 MHz myself.

2004-07-25

407

2004-07-27

276

2004-11-09

145
QSOs

2004-11-10

150
QSOs

2005-05-08

206
QSOs
xx

2005-05-30

243

2012-07-15

QSOs
570

2013-03-17

183

2015-03-17

429
NO magnetometer data.

2015-10-07

171

2017-07-16

147
QSOs

2017-09-08

622

Conclusion

1. The time frame for aurora propagation falls between 13 and 19 UTC.
2. Set the alert to greater or equal to K5.
3. From the data analysis it only makes sense to set this alarm between 12 and 22 UTC.
3. For aurora propagation outside the time frame, the k-index must be at least 6 or higher.

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