Topical Science. February 2017

Page 1

1 2 3

February 2016,

TOPICAL SCIENCE

Issue 2

The Aurora appears to drift lazily across the night sky, as wispy curtains of greenish light, above the snowcovered mountains of Norway.

Sunstorms and The Aurora The Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, is often seen in northern countries, such as Finland, or Norway, or even in the northern parts of Scotland. It is observed as a green or sometimes red glow in the sky, which may look like wispy threads of light, or luminous curtains in the night sky. It can be a stunning sight. A similar phemonenon is observed in the southern hemisphere, near the South Pole, where it is known as the Aurora Australis.

The aurora is caused by charged particles from the sun, interacting with molecules in the earth’s atmosphere, making them glow with beautiful colours. The reason that auroras become visible in Polar regions is because of the earth’s magnetic field. This acts as a shield, protecting most of the earth’s surface from charged particles from space. The magnetic field directs the particles along its lines of force, which converge towards the north and south magnetic poles.

Because of the shape of the Earth’s magnetic field, most of the charged particles enter the earth’s atmosphere above the poles, where they interact with the molecules in the air. Electrons in these molecules are given an energy boost by the charged particles from the sun. This allows them to be raised to a higher than normal energy level. When the electrons drop back to their normal ‘ground state’ energy, they give out particular wavelengths of light. It is unusual for the Aurora Borealis to be visible as far south as Ireland.

Inside this issue: At this time of year, some enthusiasts travel to Nordic countries in the hope of seeing the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). This issue of ‘Topical Science’ attempts to explain the science behind this amazing natural phenomenon.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.