Solar storm can rain down a flood of charged particles on our planet , creating striking break of day but also damage satellites and electronics . Scientists have now discovered that these violent storm also have the opposite gist – they can debilitate the upper air above the Earth of almost all its charge .
The find , published in the journalRadio Science , is based on observations of the solar storm that arrive at Earth on February 19 , 2014 . A web of satellites and geomagnetic lookout keep an increase in level speck like ions and electrons above Greenland , but they also show wide regions wholly barren of galvanic charge .
The international squad of investigator found that these “ electrically empty ” orbit were between 500 to 1,000 kilometers ( 300 to 600 miles ) across and remained depleted of electrons for several days after the storm .
" We do n’t know exactly what causes the depletion , " Colorado - writer Attila Komjathy , from NASA ’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory , tell in astatement . " One possible explanation is that electrons are recombining with positively charge ion until there are no extra electrons . There could also be redistribution – electrons being displaced and push aside from the area , not only horizontally but vertically . "
The Sun is constantly emitting a stream of electrically charged mote , the so - called solar wind . But sometimes there is an surplus in this stream due to activities in the Sun , like coronal mass ejections that irrupt solar blood plasma into blank at incredible speeds .
All these particles , whether easy - moving or very tight , interact with the Earth ’s magnetized area . look on their peck and speed , some are deflected , some can get hold of the upper atmosphere and produce northern lights , and some get trapped in theVan Allen Belts .
There are many factors that tempt the type of particles and interactions above our major planet . sympathize how the Sun influence Earth ’s space conditions is all important to guarantee the rubber of astronauts as well as the satellites that keep us connect .
The late breakthrough could also aid with radio set communication in the Arctic , which is plagued by interferences and almost startedWorld War Three !
Solar eruptionseenby NASA ’s Solar Dynamics Observatory on September 26 , 2014 . NASA
