aurora
Sign in to saveAn aurora ( aurorae or auroras) is a natural light display in Earth’s upper atmosphere caused by charged particles from the Sun colliding with atoms in the atmosphere. These collisions excite oxygen and nitrogen, which then emit light of different colors such as green, red, and purple. When observed in high-latitude regions they are called polar lights and aurora polaris. In the Arctic they are called northern lights (aurora borealis); in the Antarctic, the terms southern lights (aurora australis) are used. Auroras display dynamic patterns of radiant light that appear as curtains, rays, spiral
AI overview
An aurora is a natural light display in Earth's upper atmosphere created when charged particles from the Sun collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms, causing them to emit colorful light such as green, red, and purple. These spectacular displays, known as northern lights in the Arctic and southern lights in the Antarctic, appear as dynamic patterns of radiant light and are most commonly seen in high-latitude regions.
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Article
30 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Characterisation
- Altitude
- Forms
- Colours and wavelengths of auroral light
- Changes with time
- Other auroral emissions
- Abnormal types
- STEVE
- Picket-fence aurora
- Dune aurora
- Fragments of Aurora-like Emission
- Horse-collar aurora
- Conjugate auroras
- Causes
- Auroral particles
- Atmosphere
- Ionosphere
- Interaction of the solar wind with Earth
- Magnetosphere
- Auroral particle acceleration
- Historically significant events
- Historical views and folklore
- Extraterrestrial auroras
- See also
- Explanatory notes
- References
- Further reading
- External links
- Multimedia
An aurora ( aurorae or auroras) is a natural light display in Earth’s upper atmosphere caused by charged particles from the Sun colliding with atoms in the atmosphere. These collisions excite oxygen and nitrogen, which then emit light of different colors such as green, red, and purple. When observed in high-latitude regions they are called polar lights and aurora polaris. In the Arctic they are called northern lights (aurora borealis); in the Antarctic, the terms southern lights (aurora australis) are used. Auroras display dynamic patterns of radiant light that appear as curtains, rays, spirals or dynamic flickers covering the entire sky.
Auroras are the result of disturbances in the Earth's magnetosphere caused by enhanced speeds of solar wind from coronal holes and coronal mass ejections. These disturbances alter the trajectories of charged particles in the magnetospheric plasma. These particles, mainly electrons and protons, precipitate into the upper atmosphere (thermosphere/exosphere). The resulting ionization and excitation of atmospheric constituents emit light of varying colour and complexity. The form of the aurora, occurring within bands around both polar regions, is also dependent on the amount of acceleration imparted to the precipitating particles.