(figure 1) On Wednesday, scientists observed an unusually strong solar flare. Solar particles began traveling 1,000 miles per second toward earth's magnetic field.
(figure 2) The earth's magnetic field, or magnetosphere, attracts the solar particles. The particles are put together much like beads are threaded on a wire.
(figure 3) The particles accelerate as they travel down the magnetic field lines. The particles collide with the atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere where the magnetic field lines reach down to the surface of the earth (near the magnetic north and south poles).
(figure 4) When the particles from the magnetosphere collide with the atoms and molecules in the earth's upper atmosphere (over the north and south poles) atoms of oxygen and nitrogen release their energy in the form of light. This is the light that we see from the ground...the aurora borealis!
(figure 1) On Wednesday, scientists observed an unusually strong solar flare. Solar particles began traveling 1,000 miles per second toward earth's magnetic field.
(figure 2) The earth's magnetic field, or magnetosphere, attracts the solar particles. The particles are put together much like beads are threaded on a wire.
(figure 3) The particles accelerate as they travel down the magnetic field lines. The particles collide with the atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere where the magnetic field lines reach down to the surface of the earth (near the magnetic north and south poles).
(figure 4) When the particles from the magnetosphere collide with the atoms and molecules in the earth's upper atmosphere (over the north and south poles) atoms of oxygen and nitrogen release their energy in the form of light. This is the light that we see from the ground...the aurora borealis!
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