Hilbert-Huang Transform of geomagnetic pulsations at auroral expansion onset

Abstract

The waveform of geomagnetic pulsations at auroral expansion onset looks irregular and is hardly resolved by Fourier transform. Here we perform a novel analysis of the Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) to address this problem, focusing on the event investigated in detail by Morioka et al. (2008), in which the auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) breakup was clearly identified. From the HHT analysis of high-latitude search coil ground magnetometer data, Pi1, Pc3, and Pi2 pulsations are extracted as the first, second, and third intrinsic mode functions, respectively. Amplification of the Pi1 and Pc3 pulsations is first detected as a clear precursor to the AKR breakup. The Pi1 and Pc3 pulsations show sudden enhancement at the AKR breakup. We suggest that the HHT is capable of automatically extracting the Pi1, Pi2, and Pc3 from the irregular high-latitude geomagnetic pulsations, providing a new type of diagnostic tools for understanding the onset mechanism of auroral substorms. Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.