Sunday, February 8, 2026

An International Team Uncovers What Powers Auroras

ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti took this aurora borealis Earth observation image from the cupola window of the International Space Station on Dec. 9, 2014. Credit: ESA/NASA

A new study co-led by the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) reveals that plasma waves traveling along Earth’s magnetic field lines act like an invisible power source, fueling the stunning auroral displays we see in the sky.



No comments:

Post a Comment