Scientists demonstrate the capabilities and limitations of the mathematical model used to calculate solar irradiance using measurements from NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN).
Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Explaining Unexpected Twists in the Sun's Magnetic Field
New research shows how the Sun's magnetic field can shift when it approaches Earth, which can throw off space weather forecasts.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Calculating Plasma Waves—With a Twist
What happens when two plasmas with different temperatures overlap? The answer depends on a quantum effect that twists the waves as they ripple through the sea of electrons.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Scientists Probe the Calm After Solar Storms
In forecasting the effects of solar storms, understanding how they subside—and not just how they arrive—will be crucial.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
How Lightning Creates "Killer Electrons" in Earth's Radiation Belts
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.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
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.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
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?
Posted inResearch Spotlights
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.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
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.