Tag

Plasma Flows

All articles tagged with #plasma flows

science2 years ago

Unveiling Uncommon Plasma Flows in the Upper Atmosphere

Scientists have conducted a study on rare postmidnight subauroral ion drift (SAID) events in the upper atmosphere near South America. These events involve narrow, rapid, westward flows of extremely hot plasma and are linked to visible structures in the sky. The study found that postmidnight SAID events are influenced by ionospheric conditions, geomagnetic dynamics, and wave-particle interactions. Understanding these events could help mitigate disruptions to radar signals for satellite tracking and other critical applications.

science2 years ago

Unveiling the Power Source of Solar Winds: Insights from the Solar Orbiter

The Solar Orbiter spacecraft has potentially discovered the source of solar winds, capturing images of "picoflare jets" emanating from a dark region of the sun called a coronal hole. These jets, which are much weaker than solar flares but still contain substantial energy, could be responsible for producing the charged particles that make up solar winds. Scientists have long known that coronal holes are source regions for solar winds, but the mechanism of how plasma streams emerge from them has remained a mystery. The discovery of these picoflare jets could provide the answer and help explain the high temperature of the sun's corona.