NASA Unravels Mystery Of Northern Lights

Satellite Data Show Magnetic Explosions In Space Cause Spectacle

(AP)  Scientists have exposed some of the mystery behind the northern lights.

On Thursday, NASA released findings that indicate magnetic explosions about one-third of the way to the moon cause the northern lights, or aurora borealis, to burst in spectacular shapes and colors, and dance across the sky.

The findings should help scientists better understand the more powerful but less common geomagnetic storms that can knock out satellites, harm astronauts in orbit and disrupt power and communications on Earth, scientists said.

A fleet of five small satellites, called Themis, observed the beginning of a geomagnetic storm in February, while ground observatories in Canada and Alaska recorded the brightening of the northern lights. The southern lights - aurora australis - also brightened and darted across the sky at the same time.

These auroral flare-ups occur every two or three days, on average.

A team led by University of California, Los Angeles, scientist Vassilis Angelopoulos confirmed that the observed storm about 80,000 miles from Earth was triggered by a phenomenon known as magnetic reconnection. Every so often, the Earth's magnetic field lines are stretched like rubber bands by solar energy, snap, are thrown back to Earth and reconnect, in effect creating a short circuit.

It's this stored-up energy that powers the northern and southern lights or, in other words, causes them to dance, according to Angelopoulos.

An opposing theory has these geomagnetic events occurring much closer to Earth, about one-sixth of the way to the moon. More Themis observations are needed to resolve the debate, said David Sibeck, NASA's project scientist.

"Finally, we have the right instruments in the right place at the right time, and it's allowed scientists to be able to make the necessary observations to settle this heated debate once and for all," said Nicola Fox, a Johns Hopkins University scientist who was not involved in the study.

At present, about 20 of these geomagnetic storms are being analyzed. Scientists hope to eventually learn, via this project, more about the bigger solar storms that occur about 10 times a year and can lead to far more expansive and prolonged northern and southern lights.

The five Themis spacecraft - a NASA acronym standing for Time History of Events and Macroscale Interations during Substorms - were launched aboard a single rocket last year.

[rushlimpdrug]

NASA is so smart.

[spadeisspade]

I''m glad SOME type of explosion is finally being explained!

[brianbwb-2009]

"Magnetic Fields are NOT the same as Gravity. A very simple distinction, Magnetic Fields require an Electric current and are weightless. Gravity requires Weight usually determined by mass."
Posted by t_barr

You are a bit off on this one, Magnetism is the result of a uniform alignment of atomic polarity, all the atoms in a piece of iron line up the same way, and the iron becomes magnetic.

Magnetite, a natural magnet, requires no electrical current to retain it''s magnetism, in fact passing a piece of iron in a magnetic field generates electricity, a fact that makes possible the dreams of hormone-jacked guitarists worldwide.

[grammawhamma]

The Northern Lights are awesome...I don''t really care what causes them...just so I get to keep seeing them.

[rushlimpdrug]

Ok, I confess, sometimes I turn on that
switch in the living room that I thought
was connected to nothing.

I will leave it on for days and then
turn it off.

I will try to remember not to do that anymore.

Meanwhile, sorry folks, I didn''t realize
that NASA would find out.

I''ll keep it on every once in a while just
to keep the whole thing going.

Enjoy.

[nativewoman]

fstop100 wrote
So how many billions of dollars did we spend to find this out?

The article states that this research should help scientists better understand the more powerful but less common geomagnetic storms that can knock out satellites, harm astronauts in orbit and disrupt power and communications on Earth. Sounds pretty useful.

Meanwhile, on the war front:

Iraq War''s Price Tag Nears Vietnam''s
Congressional Estimate Puts U.S. Costs In Iraq At $648B; Vietnam Cost $686B In 2008 Dollars

[andor3]

very cool. Tax dollars well spent. More for this and less for military excesses and corporate bailouts.

[voidmaster-2009]

Get a clue people. Gravity and magnetism both suck. But gravity sucks less than magnetism -- demonstrating that they are not the same thing.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Most of you have no way of knowing this to be true. So just leave science to the scientists. I am sure they will let us all know if the world is about to come to an end.

[txgrouch2006]

BajaJohn1 wrote
If we lose our magnetic fields we will float into space. Gravity is magnetism.
--------------------------
LOL! Yah, we''ll have to chain our cars down in the parking lots, or they''ll float away.

But wait. YOU''RE not magnetic. What''s holding your fat butt down in your chair right now?

[txgrouch2006]

nrgmizer asked
But what does this mean?
Are we losing our magnetic fields?
--------------------
Yes. In fact, recent measurements have shown that the Earth''s magnetic field is dropping more rapidly that at any time in recorded history, and that the north and south poles are going to swap places in the next century or so. At some point during the flip-over, there will be NO MAGNETIC FIELD AT ALL.

So you''d better start saving up magnetic fields anytime you get the chance. I''m keeping mine in a shoe box on the shelf in my closet, next to my box of tinfoil hats.

[txgrouch2006]

fstop100 wrote
So how many billions of dollars did we spend to find this out?
----------------
Probably not as much as we spend trying to teach Algebra 2 to drop-out high school students who have no interest in developing any skill that doesn''t involve stealing someting.

[xxunknown]

I have always wanted to go and see this. Bet its really awesome.

[fstop100]

Gee I can sleep better tonight knowing that. So how many billions of dollars did we spend to find this out?

[rf35]

t_barr,
The thing is, those intelligent enough to do further research are perfectly capable of Googling it for themselves. The posting of the actual links is the issue because it:
A - Looks like advertising, and
B - is annoying because CBS always breaks up the links. It is actually quicker to Google them ourselves that enter the links into our browser manually.

Anyway, the story is interesting. I don''t think we are in danger of losing our planet''s magnetic field. "The Core" was a laughable bit fiction. The poles do invert on a fairly regular schedule, however. We are due for one soon (could be any time within the next few thousand years).

[lavetta4]

What a pity Diatreme. Obviously the partial birth abortion that your parents attempted with you...failed.

[voidmaster-2009]

It is a shame that there are people who, just because they do not understand or appreciate what science can unveil, honestly think the rest of us should be deprived of its benefits. I suppose that not everyone is interested enough in science to care about such things. But then, not everyone has the mental capacity to be a scientist. Someone has to wash the dishes.

[bubbabear200]

Now that is news to me. They now are saying that the earth isnt flat.

[lochlan-2009]

I''''m sure the northern lights are beautiful but let''s please dissect them and take away any wonder or magic associated with them.

Posted by MyOpinion1

Your ignorance never ceases to amaze me. Keep believing the world is flat and go-away.

[sistatee-2009]

That was $20 billion well-spent! Great job, NASA! Meanwhile, the wings are FALLING OFF THE SHUTTLE!

[talkingham]

Methinks the distance will vary greatly depending on the type and energy levels of various geomagnetic conditions in place when a solar event intersects with said conditions. To propose they always happen at the 80,000 mark is absurd.