Articles tagged with Auroras
A geomagnetic storm highlighted weaknesses in UK infrastructure, with scientists calling for better monitoring and forecasting to protect critical systems. The May 2024 storm caused relatively minor disruption but was a one-in-13-year event, highlighting the need for improved preparedness.
Scientists predict Solar Cycle 26's strength by analyzing sunspots at a newly-identified 'switch-off' point. This method gives a longer lead time than current methods, allowing for potential improvements in understanding the solar dynamo and predicting space weather.
Researchers from OIST used medieval records and buried trees to identify a sub-extreme solar proton event between winter 1200 CE and spring 1201 CE. They also reconstructed the Sun's activity cycle, which was shorter than today's eleven-year cycles.
Researchers at NJIT analyzed nearly three decades of solar oscillation data to trace the Sun's magnetic engine, revealing a butterfly-shaped flow pattern in the deep solar interior. The findings point to the likely location of the star's magnetic engine deep beneath its surface, roughly 200,000 kilometers down.
Astronomers have found that the fundamental physical processes generating auroras are common to different celestial bodies, including the largest moon in the solar system. Observations of Ganymede's auroras reveal locally fragmented patches similar to those on Earth and Jupiter, suggesting a universal mechanism for aurora formation.
A new study reveals how the superstorm compressed Earth's plasmasphere, a protective layer of charged particles that encircles our planet. The plasmasphere normally extends far from Earth, but during the storm, its outer boundary moved from approximately 44,000 km above Earth's surface to just 9,600 km.
Researchers successfully estimated precise altitude distribution of nitrogen molecular ions responsible for blue aurora emissions at high altitudes. The study revealed a peak emission intensity at 200 km altitude, suggesting higher-than-thought density of nitrogen molecular ions in the atmosphere.
Scientists have captured images of Mars' aurorae and developed tools to predict when they will occur on the Red Planet. The predictions are crucial for ensuring astronaut safety during solar storms.
The Europlanet Science Congress 2025 will feature press briefings on the RAMSES mission to asteroid Apophis and recent discoveries with the Juno Mission. These events aim to improve our ability to defend Earth from potential asteroid threats.
The University of Minnesota researchers discovered a new type of plasma wave in Jupiter's aurora, which helps understand the phenomenon and its potential applications for protecting Earth. The study reveals that Jupiter's magnetic field allows particles to flood into the polar cap, unlike on Earth.
Scientists have developed a groundbreaking adaptive optics system that removes blur from images of the Sun's corona, revealing clearest images to date. The technology has produced remarkable observations of fine-structure in the corona, including raindrops and turbulent internal flows.
A new study reveals that sporadic E layers were significantly enhanced during the recovery phase of the 2024 Mother's Day super geomagnetic storm. The phenomenon, which appears as thin and dense patches of ionized metals, was detected mainly over Southeast Asia, Australia, the South Pacific, and the East Pacific.
The AWESOME mission seeks to reveal how auroral substorms affect the behavior and composition of Earth's far upper atmosphere, potentially upending a long-held theory about the aurora's interaction with the thermosphere.
The EZIE mission will use a new measurement technique to study the electrojets, which can create large magnetic disturbances and power outages. By mapping the electrojets' structure and evolution, scientists hope to improve predictions of hazardous space weather.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute is launching three NASA sounding rockets at Poker Flat Research Range to study black, flickering and fast-pulsating aurora types. The missions aim to understand electron distributions and wave-particle interactions in space.
Two NASA rocket missions, GIRAFF and Black and Diffuse Aurora Science Surveyor, will study fast-pulsating and flickering auroras respectively. The missions aim to determine the electron acceleration processes responsible for these phenomena.
UCalgary scientists reveal a whitish grey patch associated with aurora borealis, suggesting a heat source and more complex aurora dynamics. The discovery uses advanced camera technology to capture true color images of the night sky.
Researchers at the University of New Hampshire developed an AI-powered algorithm to categorize over 706 million aurora images from NASA's THEMIS data set. This labeled database can help scientists better understand and forecast geomagnetic storms that disrupt vital communications and security infrastructure.
Newly published results from a 2021 experiment reveal the particle-level processes that create auroras. The Kinetic-scale Energy and momentum Transport experiment created an Alfvén wave, which accelerated electrons on magnetic field lines, similar to an auroral beam of electrons.
A team of scientists analyzed smartphone videos and amateur photos of a rare blue-dominant aurora in Japan to estimate its area and confirm findings with spectrophotometers. The research revealed longitudinal structures aligned with magnetic field lines, spanning about 1200 km in longitude.
Researchers have discovered unusual, Earth-size magnetically driven vortices generating dense, hydrocarbon haze at Jupiter's poles. The dark ovals hint at strong interactions between the planet's magnetic field and atmosphere.
Researchers at University of Arizona discovered a spike in carbon-14 dating to 664 B.C., pinpointing the last known extreme solar storm event. The study provides crucial data for scientists studying sun's activity and offers insights into massive storms' effects on Earth's atmosphere.
The unusual magenta color of this year's aurora over Japan was discovered through a massive citizen science effort, which collected data from over 775 grassroots submissions. The researchers found that the preheating of the atmosphere due to solar activity, combined with high-altitude ionized molecular nitrogen, created a unique optica...
Researchers have obtained a detailed spatial distribution of color and a hyperspectral image of the aurora borealis for the first time, revealing new insights into energy transport and electron interactions. The observations will contribute to advancing auroral research and understanding the mechanism of auroral emission.
Scientists discovered that interplanetary shocks striking Earth's magnetic field head-on cause more powerful geomagnetically induced currents, posing a threat to critical infrastructure. The study found that the angle of impact is key to predicting current strength, allowing for protections to be set in place before severe shocks strike.
Scientists have developed a machine learning program that can identify blobs of plasma in outer space known as plasmoids. The program will analyze data from NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission to better understand magnetic reconnection and its effects on the electrical grid.
Researchers led by Jackie Faherty detected methane gas and temperature inversions on W1935, a cold brown dwarf. The findings suggest possible aurorae similar to those on Jupiter and Saturn, possibly due to an active moon.
A new emulator model improves auroral current system simulations, enabling faster and more efficient space weather forecasts. The Surrogate Model for REPPU Auroral Ionosphere version 2 (SMRAI2) is a million times faster than physics-based simulations and incorporates seasonal effects.
Researchers propose that parallel electric fields in the upper atmosphere could produce the colorful emissions of Steve and the picket fence. This unusual process has implications for understanding energy flow between Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere.
A recent solar coronal mass ejection caused aurorae at low latitudes, while a historically significant event in 1872 was found to be one of the most extreme geomagnetic storms in history. The storm's impact on modern society could be severe, with potential disruptions to power grids, communication systems, and satellite communications.
Researchers from NJIT-CSTR have discovered an extraordinary aurora-like display occurring 40,000 km above a sunspot. The novel radio emission shares characteristics with planetary magnetospheres and potentially opens new avenues for understanding similar phenomena in distant stars with large starspots.
University of Leicester astronomers confirm the existence of an infrared aurora on Uranus, offering clues to its magnetic fields and potential for life. The discovery may also help identify other habitable planets with similar characteristics.
The BepiColombo mission has successfully observed how electrons raining down on Mercury's surface can trigger high-energy auroras. The observations confirm that the mechanism generating aurorae is the same throughout the Solar System.
Astronomers observe repeating radio signal from star YZ Ceti, indicating potential magnetic field of nearby Earth-sized planet YZ Ceti b. The detection provides new insights into the environment around stars and has implications for the search for habitable exoplanets.
Scientists have discovered a massive heat wave in Jupiter's atmosphere, extending over 10 Earth diameters and reaching temperatures of 700 degrees Celsius. The heat wave was triggered by solar wind plasma impacting the planet's magnetic field, distributing energy globally around Jupiter.
The joint observations of EMM and MAVEN reveal fine-scale structures in proton aurora spanning the full day side of Mars, indicating a chaotic solar wind interaction. This phenomenon is caused by turbulent conditions around Mars allowing charged particles to flood directly into the atmosphere, forming patchy proton aurora.
Scientists have learned how discrete auroras on Mars are formed through the interaction between solar wind and crustal magnetic fields. The study, published in JGR: Space Physics, reveals that aurora occurrence rates depend on solar wind conditions and orientation.
SwRI scientists studied particle population and auroral emissions on Jupiter, confirming a decade-old theory that electrons accelerated in both directions create the multi-spot dance of auroral footprints. The research also provided insights into the interaction between Ganymede's magnetic field and Jupiter's massive magnetosphere.
A recent study published in Advances in Space Research has identified the earliest record of a candidate aurora in an ancient Chinese text, dated to 977-957 BCE. The 'five-coloured light' mentioned in the Bamboo Annals is consistent with a large geomagnetic storm and provides valuable insights into space weather variability.
Dr Henrik Melin, a researcher at the University of Leicester, has been awarded the third-ever Webb Fellowship to study the atmospheres of giant planets using the James Webb Space Telescope. He aims to understand the mechanisms driving powerful aurorae on these planets and address the 'energy crisis' in their upper atmospheres.
Researchers have found that Saturn's unique aurorae are generated by swirling winds within its atmosphere, not just from the surrounding magnetosphere. The study uses infrared emission data and ionospheric mapping to identify the fundamental driver behind the observed periodicities.
Researchers at the University of Leicester have discovered a new mechanism driving Saturn's massive aurorae, which are fueled by swirling winds in its upper atmosphere. This discovery answers one of NASA's Cassini mission mysteries and highlights the complex interactions between atmospheric weather and aurora creation.
Researchers discovered a complex relationship between Jupiter's magnetic field, volcanic activity on its moon Io, and the planet's powerful aurorae. The study revealed an electromagnetic 'tug-of-war' lights up aurorae in Jupiter's upper atmosphere.
Researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology discovered a new way Earth's magnetic field produces plasma jets, which can weaken the planet's first line of defense. The study used NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission satellites to track the formation and origin of these downstream jets.
Researchers have identified the source of mysterious STEVE light emissions as a narrow region in the magnetosphere, driven by strong waves and particle acceleration. The findings suggest that the ionosphere and magnetosphere may be coupled at lower latitudes, transporting vast quantities of energy and momentum.
A team of scientists successfully visualized the propagation path of electromagnetic waves from space to ground, revealing a 'straw-shaped' pathway. The study used data from multiple spacecraft and ground-based observatories to clarify the origin and spatial extent of these waves.
A team of researchers used paleomagnetism models and historical documents to create a map of the auroral zone over the last 3,000 years. They found that the auroral zone has moved significantly over time, with notable changes occurring in the 12th century and 18th century.
Researchers found that electron precipitation from northern lights causes local ozone layer depletions in the mesosphere, potentially impacting climate. The study provides insight into this phenomenon, known as pulsating aurorae, and highlights its significance for global climate change.
A team of scientists assembled observations from NASA's Juno spacecraft, W.M. Keck Observatory, and Japan's Hisaki satellite to discover the source of Jupiter's thermal boost. They found that Jupiter's intense aurora is responsible for heating the entire planet's upper atmosphere, contrary to previous models.
A team of scientists from UCLA and other institutions has confirmed the interaction between electrons and Alfvén waves, shedding light on the origin of the aurora borealis. The experiment replicated conditions in Earth's auroral magnetosphere, revealing that electrons undergo resonant acceleration by the Alfvén wave's electric field.
Researchers have identified Alfven waves as the primary cause of the most brilliant auroras. These waves accelerate electrons toward Earth, producing atmospheric light show, through a process known as Landau damping. The study, conducted at the Large Plasma Device, confirms decades-long quest to demonstrate experimentally the physical ...
Researchers have found a new feature in the diffuse aurora, where sections of the background-like glow disappear and then reappear after a short period. This phenomenon, dubbed 'diffuse auroral erasers,' has never been mentioned in scientific literature and raises questions about its frequency and potential impact on Earth's climate.
A new type of aurora borealis, named 'dunes', has been confirmed by a recent study. The dune-like shape is believed to be caused by areas of increased oxygen atom density in an atmospheric wave channel.
Researchers at the University of Warwick used social media-inspired algorithms to analyze space weather observations and reveal the lifecycle of substorms. The study shows that these substorms manifest as global-scale electrical current systems associated with the aurora, covering most of the Earth's night-side at high latitudes.
Scientists at Nagoya University have found that an electric accelerator for auroras exists much higher in space than previously thought, beyond 30,000 kilometres above the Earth's surface. This finding offers insight into Earth and other planets as well, shedding light on the process of aurora formation.
A team of researchers led by Nagoya University has discovered that killer electrons, resulting from the pulsating aurora, could be involved in ozone destruction. The high-energy electrons are believed to cause damage when they penetrate satellites, and their presence in the middle atmosphere is associated with the pulsating aurora.
Researchers investigate the purple and green emissions of STEVE, discovering tiny streaks that could be moving points of light. The findings suggest the green features are caused by turbulence in plasma at high altitudes.
Researchers discovered ultraviolet emissions on Comet Chury due to solar wind electrons striking its coma. The phenomenon, similar to Earth's aurora borealis, provides new insights into comet environments.
Scientists have discovered that auroral beads are caused by turbulence in the plasma surrounding Earth, which precedes substorms and triggers auroras. The new models provide a broader picture of the near-space environment, helping researchers better understand swirling structures seen in auroras.
Researchers have matched seismic signals with aurora displays in Alaska, offering a new way to study magnetic fluctuations. By combining data from all-sky cameras and seismometers, scientists can better understand the link between solar winds and the Earth's magnetic field.