New calculations show that lightning-triggered plasma waves in Earth's magnetosphere absorb energy from slow particles and energize electrons to levels that can damage satellites severely.
Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
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Polar Interlopers in the Aurora
A new study suggests that poleward boundary intensifications in the aurora are caused by fast flows of plasma from the poles into the auroral oval.
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After Decades, High-Altitude Observations Revived at Jicamarca
Recent upgrades to the Jicamarca Radio Observatory in Peru allow it to probe electron densities several thousand kilometers above Earth, a feat it hasn't accomplished in 50 years.
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Retracing the First Spaceborne Electric Field Measurement
Fifty years ago, a sounding rocket made history by taking the first measurement of an electric field in space. What techniques were used to capture this data?
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Buzzing Ice Shelf Makes Waves in the Air Above
The resonant vibrations of the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica are disturbing the atmosphere above it, creating huge ripples.
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What Drives Variation in the Ionosphere’s Electron Density?
The long-term trend in the electron density of the ionospheric F layer may be natural, not man-made.
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Scientists Map Temperature and Density in Earth’s Exosphere
Data from multiple orbiters give a clearer picture of how density and temperature interact and what that could mean for future satellite missions.
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Searching for Lightning's Signature on Venus
How energetic would lightning on Venus have to be to be detected by sensors? A new model sheds light.
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Tracking Ions at the Edge of the Atmosphere
The first results from a recently launched satellite hold promise for studying solar storms, the very top of Earth's ionosphere, and how the atmosphere is evolving.
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Mysteries of the Magnetosphere
Scientists investigate how dipolarization fronts in Earth's protective magnetosphere interact with the environment around them.