In this September 15, 2017 photo provided by the US Army in Alaska, soldiers from Alpha Company, 70th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, conducts unscheduled combat operations maintenance under the northern lights on detachment vehicle in preparation for platoon external evaluation at Donnelly Proving Ground, near Fort Greeley, Alaska.
Charles Beerwirth/AP
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Charles Beerwirth/AP
In this September 15, 2017 photo provided by the US Army in Alaska, soldiers from Alpha Company, 70th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, conducts unscheduled combat operations maintenance under the northern lights on detachment vehicle in preparation for platoon external evaluation at Donnelly Proving Ground, near Fort Greeley, Alaska.
Charles Beerwirth/AP
The northern lights can be seen in the US mainland this week due to a severe geomagnetic storm, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The phenomenon, known scientifically as the northern lights, usually occurs closer to the North Pole, not far from Alaska and Canada.
But the storm could push the aurora lights further south on Thursday and Friday, and if weather conditions allow, you can see in regions of Pennsylvania, Iowa and Oregon.
What happens during a geomagnetic storm?
During a storm, a coronal hole (spots that appear black on Sun) causes strong winds that in turn, trigger coronal mass ejections, or CMEs. CME projects plasma and chunks of the magnetic field of the sun into the atmosphere.
The storm began on Sunday and is expected to peak on Thursday to G3 levels. highest measurement of the intensity of the storm – and the end of Friday.
While several CMEs have been ejected from the Sun, “most of them are expected to have little or no impact on Earth, however, at least four of them have potential Earth-pointing components,” NOAA said in a statement.
What is an aurora?
Solar activity is not constant and in in some cases, the disturbances are so strong that they can pull the Earth’s magnetic field away from our planet.
But, like stretched elastic band, when it is released, the magnetic field breaks back and force of what giving creates powerful ripples known as Alfvén waves about 80,000 miles above the ground. When these waves approach the Earth, they move faster due to the planet’s magnetic pull.
Sometimes electrons hitchhike on those ultra-fast waves of Alfvén, reaching speeds of up to 45 million miles per hour as they rush down.
“Think about surfing,” said Jim Schroeder, a physics assistant. professor at Wheaton College who led research on process. “To surf you need row up Right speed for ocean wave pick you up and speed you up, and we found that the electrons floated. If they were moving with right speed relative to the wave, they will be selected up and accelerated.
When the electrons reach the thin upper layers of the Earth’s atmosphere, they collide with molecules of nitrogen and oxygen, translating them into an excited state. Excited electrons eventually settle down down and release the light that we see as the aurora.
How view Northern Lights
You do not need Any special equipment see the polar lights.
- Choose a place where there is little light pollution.
- get to higher height if possible.
- Check Forecast for signs of clouds or precipitation that could block view.
- Scan the sky – while the north in name, they can appear on all sides.
NPR reporter Joe Hernandez contributed to this article.
