Speaker
Description
There has been a rapid increase in auroral tourism in the European Arctic this millennium. The interest in seeing the Northern Lights has created business opportunities in the north. Local and migrant entrepreneurs offer Northern Lights tours in various forms with the ultimate goal of viewing the aurora. Training courses on the physics behind the Northern Lights increase the scientific knowledge of the tour guides which improves the quality of their tours. Entrepreneurs can use their knowledge of the physics behind the phenomenon to optimise the planning and implementation of their tours and maximise the likelyhood of a successful tourist experience.
The region where Northern Lights are most likely to be observed lies between 60 and 75 North. It is less likely for tourists to see the aurora in the southern hemisphere since there are fewer accessible locations with infrastructure and a climate suitable for tourism activities. Aurora tourism is a seasonal activity which takes place in the winter in areas with low light levels. A prerequisite to see an active display is that the geomagnetic field is disturbed due to solar activity. An auroral substorm typically has a length of 2-3 hours during which time the most visually impressive part of the display may last just 10-30 minutes. In 2025 we are experiencing a peak in the 11-year solar cycle with frequent active auroral displays. Courses for tour guides teach them about the solar cycles and geomagnetic storms that produce auroral displays.
