Solar Storms Remove Electrons From Atmosphere, Create Northern Lights
Scientists have discovered some interesting new facts about solar storms, including the role they play in the emergence of Northern Lights in the Arctic. However, the research also suggests that these storms may disrupt communication and navigation systems, which underscores the importance of the study.
A report from Phys.org detailed the findings of the new study from University of New Brunswick, DTU Space, NASA Jet Propulsion of Laboratory, and University of Illinois researchers, which details how large electron bursts are dispersed into the ionosphere, an extremely high-latitude part of the Earth’s atmosphere that is located about 50 miles above our planet’s surface. This takes place because the magnetic field created during solar storms doesn’t mesh with the Earth’s own magnetic field, which then allows electrons and other particles to enter the ionosphere, instead of being reflected.
