Physical Geography
Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)
- Context: A powerful solar storm associated with Solar Cycle 25 is expected under favorable conditions to make the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) visible at unusually low latitudes, including parts of North India like Ladakh and high-altitude Himalayan regions.
About the Aurora Borealis
- The Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) is a natural light display primarily observed in high-latitude regions near the Arctic Circle.
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- Its southern counterpart is known as the Aurora Australis (Southern Lights).
- It occurs when charged particles emitted by the Sun interact with gases in Earth’s upper atmosphere.
Formation of the Northern Lights
- The Sun emits electrically charged particles via the solar wind.
- The number of particles increases significantly during solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs).
- Earth’s magnetosphere channels these particles toward the polar regions.
- Collisions with atmospheric gases produce colorful light emissions:
- Green: Oxygen (most common)
- Red: Oxygen at high altitudes
- Blue/Purple: Nitrogen
Key Scientific Concepts
- Solar Wind: A stream of electrically charged particles emitted by the Sun.
- Coronal Mass Ejection (CME): A massive eruption of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun.
- Geomagnetic Storm: A disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field caused by solar activity.
- Magnetosphere: The protective magnetic shield surrounding Earth.
