Auroral Observations in the Antarctic

Abstract

THE paper referred to below1 was prepared, the author tells us, in 1911, but printing was delayed as Sir E. Shackleton, the leader of the 1908 Antarctic Expedition, hoped to publish the scientific work as a complete series. That idea unfortunately had ultimately to be abandoned. The paper is a very valuable contribution to our knowledge of aurora, and its appearance, if late, is very welcome. The auroral log occupies pp. 155–200, and includes particulars of the times when aurora was observed, and various descriptive information as to the nature and trend of the aurora when it consisted of curtains, arcs, or streamers having a definite direction. A preface explains the scheme of observations, and the terms employed are dealt with in the introductory remarks. Sir Douglas considers the curtain the fundamental type of aurora. When streamers alone are visible, they represent in general, he thinks, “the visible parts of an invisible curtain.”