| Magnetosphere and Van Allen Belt • The Earth is protected by the magnetosphere, a bubble-shaped magnetic field that shields it from harmful solar and cosmic radiation. • During solar storms, the magnetosphere traps highly charged particles, forming two large doughnut-shaped radiation belts called the Van Allen radiation belts. • Discovered in 1958 by astrophysicist James Van Allen, these belts play a crucial role in space exploration by identifying safer zones for spacecraft and astronauts. |
- Whistler Waves: Lightning strikes on Earth generate electromagnetic waves, some of which travel along the Earth’s magnetic field lines between the northern and southern hemispheres. These waves, known as whistler waves, can sometimes be heard as whistling noises through a receiver.
- In a study published in Science Advances, scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks discovered a new type of whistler wave generated by a previously unknown mechanism.
- They found that lightning energy injected into the ionosphere at low latitudes could reflect into the magnetosphere, contradicting previous beliefs.
- This discovery could double the estimated amount of lightning energy entering the magnetosphere, potentially requiring scientists to revise their understanding of lightning’s effects on the Van Allen belts.
- This finding has significant implications for space exploration as it relates to the magnetosphere and the conditions necessary for safe passage into outer space.
Dig Deeper: Go through the stratification of the Atmospheric profile of Earth and the critical importance of the Ionosphere.
