Mysterious Pulsating Auroras Exist, And Scientists Might Have Figured Out What Causes Them

Researchers have directly observed the scattering electrons behind the shifting patterns of light called pulsating auroras, confirming models of how charged solar winds interact with our planet’s magnetic field.

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Tau.Neutrino said:

Mysterious Pulsating Auroras Exist, And Scientists Might Have Figured Out What Causes Them

Researchers have directly observed the scattering electrons behind the shifting patterns of light called pulsating auroras, confirming models of how charged solar winds interact with our planet’s magnetic field.

more…

> The international team of astronomers used the state-of-the-art Arase Geospace probe

Why have I never heard of this?

Ah, JAXA, that’s why. JAXA satellites get less publicity unfortunately.
http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/en/missions/spacecraft/current/erg.html

> This kind of aurora is thought to be caused by sudden rearrangements in the magnetic field lines releasing their stored solar energy, sending showers of electrons crashing into the atmosphere in cycles

Better known as “reconnections”. I thought the Themis space probes had confirmed this. But perhaps no correlation to unusual auroras had been seen.