Orbital Explosions Help Scientists Uncover Secret Of Northern Lights
Date
12/24/2024 12:09:22 AM
(MENAFN- AzerNews)
By Alimat Aliyeva
American scientists from the University of Alaska in Fairbanks
have uncovered the mechanism behind the creation of the rapidly
moving northern lights. This breakthrough was made possible by
analyzing the results of the KiNET-X experiment conducted in 2021,
Azernews reports.
During the KiNET-X mission, a rocket launched two containers of
barium thermite into the ionosphere. The containers exploded at
altitudes of 400 kilometers and 300 kilometers above Earth,
respectively. The plasma clouds created by the explosions were
designed to generate an Alfvén wave, which exists in the plasma
environment of Earth's magnetosphere.
Alfvén waves occur when disturbances in the plasma affect the
magnetic field. These plasma fluctuations can be caused by various
factors, such as the sudden release of particles from solar flares
or the interaction of two plasmas with different densities.
KiNET-X agitated the surrounding plasma by injecting barium into
the upper atmosphere. Sunlight then ionized the barium, turning it
into plasma and creating the desired oscillations. This process
mimics some of the interactions that occur naturally in space,
particularly during solar storms.
The resulting wave formed electric field lines parallel to
Earth's magnetic field, as expected. This electric field
significantly accelerated electrons within the magnetic field,
contributing to the aurora borealis phenomenon.
While the energy from the thermite explosions was insufficient
to directly trigger the northern lights, the data collected from
the experiment has provided invaluable insight into the processes
that govern their formation. Researchers believe this study could
offer new ways to predict and understand space weather phenomena
and their impact on Earth, such as disruptions to communication
systems or satellite operations.
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