Orbital explosions help scientists uncover secret of Northern Lights

By Alimat Aliyeva

American scientists from the University of Alaska in Fairbanks have uncovered the mechanism behind the creation of the rapidly moving northern lights. This breakthrough was made possible by analyzing the results of the KiNET-X experiment conducted in 2021.

During the KiNET-X mission, a rocket launched two containers of barium thermite into the ionosphere. The containers exploded at altitudes of 400 kilometers and 300 kilometers above Earth, respectively. The plasma clouds created by the explosions were designed to generate an Alfvén wave, which exists in the plasma environment of Earth's magnetosphere.

Alfvén waves occur when disturbances in the plasma affect the magnetic field. These plasma fluctuations can be caused by various factors, such as the sudden release of particles from solar flares or the interaction of two plasmas with different densities.

KiNET-X agitated the surrounding plasma by injecting barium into the upper atmosphere. Sunlight then ionized the barium, turning it into plasma and creating the desired oscillations. This process mimics some of the interactions that occur naturally in space, particularly during solar storms.

The resulting wave formed electric field lines parallel to Earth's magnetic field, as expected. This electric field significantly accelerated electrons within the magnetic field, contributing to the aurora borealis phenomenon.

While the energy from the thermite explosions was insufficient to directly trigger the northern lights, the data collected from the experiment has provided invaluable insight into the processes that govern their formation. Researchers believe this study could offer new ways to predict and understand space weather phenomena and their impact on Earth, such as disruptions to communication systems or satellite operations.