Crowdsourced aurora observations during geomagnetic superstorms: the Aurorasaurus open science database

Abstract

This technical report details Aurorasaurus citizen science data from the operational lifetime of the project, with a particular focus on observations collected during the geomagnetic superstorms of 2024. The report also presents updates to the project’s data filtering protocols and scientific data release pipeline. Aurorasaurus crowdsourced observations are submitted via the project’s website and mobile platforms, forming a robust dataset that is especially abundant during intense geomagnetic storms when traditional auroral precipitation models are most uncertain. This dataset is offered to the scientific community in both raw and scientific formats through an open-access repository. The methods and transformations applied to produce a scientifically usable version of the dataset are documented in detail in this report. Furthermore, this release includes interactive, open-source Jupyter Notebooks that enable exploration, visualization, and comparison of auroral observations in conjunction with geophysical data. By demonstrating the reproducibility and utility of this workflow, we aim to encourage the integration of Aurorasaurus citizen science data into space weather research by amateurs and professionals alike.