Space Weather Journey - The Electromagnetic Sun-Earth Connection

Описание: Space weather is the study of the sun's effects on the magnetic field of Earth and the planets, specificlaly the influence of the continuously streaming radiation and energetic particles of the solar wind. This interaction of solar wind plasma and the Earth's magnetosphere is responsible for the Van Allen Radiation Belts and the dazzling polar aurora light display.

This movie takes us on a space weather journey from the center of the sun to solar eruptions in the sun's atmosphere all the way to the effects of that activity near Earth. The view starts in the core of the sun where atoms fuse together to create light and energy. Next we travel toward the sun's surface, watching loops of magnetic fields rise up to break through the sun's atmosphere, the corona. In the corona is where we witness giant bursts of radiation and energy known as solar flares, as well as gigantic eruptions of solar material called coronal mass ejections or CMEs.

The movie follows one of these CME's toward Earth where it impacts and compresses Earth's own protective magnetic bubble, the magnetosphere. As energy and particles from the sun funnel along magnetic field lines near Earth, they ultimately produce aurora at Earth's poles.

NASA's THEMIS and ARTEMIS satellite missions are observing the solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere 24/7 to better understand how solar wind radiation and particle energy is converted to heat and motion in our magnetic field. Large constellations of multiple spacecraft are necessary to detect the large-scale effects of solar and geomagnetic storms, allowing scientists to piece together the puzzle of space weather.

CREDIT: Conceptual Image Lab, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?20192