Variations in Mid-Latitude Auroral Activity During the Holocene*

Estimates of the past location of the auroral zone can aid archaeologists in the interpretation of documented light phenomena in the night sky; in particular, during periods without written records and in regions where aurorae are scarce today. Aurora occurrence largely depends on solar activity as well as the tilt and strength of the geomagnetic field. Here, we introduce a tool (AUREST) that visually combines the time-dependent variations of these parameters to provide relative estimates of aurora occurrence in mid-latitude regions of the Northern Hemisphere over the past 10 000 years. Tests against historical aurora observations show good compatibility with AUREST.