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UrduA study from an international team led by researchers from Nagoya University in Japan and the University of New Hampshire in the United States has revealed the importance of the Earth’s upper atmosphere in determining how large geomagnetic storms develop.
Tag: Magnetosphere
The Source of the Aurora Borealis: Electrons Surfing on Alfvén Waves
New experiments have shown the source of the aurora borealis. Researchers have demonstrated Alfvén waves accelerating electrons under conditions that correspond to Earth’s magnetosphere. The new experiments show that electrons “surf” on the electric field of the Alfvén wave in a plasma. These electrons are the ultimate source of the light we call the aurora borealis.
New findings could improve understanding of potentially damaging solar storms
When fast-moving particles from the sun strike the Earth’s magnetic field, they set off reactions that could disrupt communications satellites and power grids. Now, PPPL scientists have learned new details of this process that could lead to better forecasting of this so-called space weather.