Pulsating aurora is a form of the northern lights that appears as flickering patches, often seen in the early morning hours. These flickers are caused by electrons from space being scattered into the atmosphere by wave activity in Earth’s magnetic field. When these electrons reach lower altitudes, they collide with atmospheric particles, creating light and increasing electron density in a region of plasma called the D-region. This study looks at how this electron activity affects electrical properties in the atmosphere, especially how well the region can carry electric currents (known as Pedersen and Hall conductivities).

We analyzed over 10 hours of continuous pulsating aurora that occurred after a space weather event called a substorm, using radar data from a campaign in Alaska on March 5, 2022. The data demonstrated that prolonged electron precipitation of this nature impacts surrounding current systems and energy transfer in the lower ionosphere plasma layers. We also studied how conductivity structures of both types unusually changed during the event, providing critical characterizations for future auroral modelling. These findings help researchers better understand how energy flows between space and Earth’s atmosphere during space weather events.