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Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Space News: Space plasma hurricanes discovered above North Pole - where it rains electrons
Space plasma hurricanes discovered above North Pole - where it rains electrons
Satellite readings reveal a space hurricane in Earth's upper atmosphere made of plasma and raining electrons instead of water.
Image:An illustration of a space hurricane. Pic: University of Reading
Scientists say they have confirmed the existence of space hurricanes, with a 600 mile-wide mass spotted above the North Pole.
Researchers
led by China's Shandong University used satellite data to identify the
space hurricane, finding it was not a whirling pattern of air but of
plasma - ionised gas.
The mass was raining electrons instead of water and it lasted nearly eight hours before it broke down.
Professor
Mike Lockwood, space scientist at the University of Reading, said the
hurricanes could be a universal phenomena at planets and moons with
magnetic fields and plasma.
He said: "Until now, it was uncertain
that space plasma hurricanes even existed, so to prove this with such a
striking observation is incredible.
"Tropical storms are associated with huge amounts of energy, and
these space hurricanes must be created by unusually large and rapid
transfer of solar wind energy and charged particles into the Earth's
upper atmosphere.
First Space Hurricane Discovered, Mar.2, 2021
"Plasma and magnetic fields in the atmosphere of planets exist
throughout the universe, so the findings suggest space hurricanes should
be a widespread phenomena."
The space hurricane, which occurred during a period of low
geomagnetic activity, was found to share many features with hurricanes
in the Earth's lower atmosphere - a quiet centre, spiral arms and
widespread circulation.
They would be expected to lead to space
weather effects such as increased satellite drag, disturbances in high
frequency radio communications and increased errors in over-the-horizon
radar location, satellite navigation and communication systems.
The findings were published in Nature Communications.
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