{"id":137344,"date":"2024-10-14T19:51:43","date_gmt":"2024-10-14T14:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=137344"},"modified":"2024-10-15T12:53:51","modified_gmt":"2024-10-15T07:23:51","slug":"aurora-borealis-lights-up-the-sky","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/aurora-borealis-lights-up-the-sky","title":{"rendered":"Stunning Aurora Borealis Lights Up the Sky"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In recent days, the sky over regions much farther south than usual has been illuminated by <\/span><b>vibrant auroras.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Intense Solar Storms Illuminate Skies Across Europe and the US<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This dazzling light show, caused by an unusually strong solar storm, is part of a series of solar storms that have struck Earth in 2024.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-137290 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/141-670d17ff50faf.webp\" alt=\"Aurora Borealis Lights\" width=\"402\" height=\"231\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/141-670d17ff50faf.webp 733w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/141-670d17ff50faf-300x172.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 402px) 100vw, 402px\" \/><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They were seen across parts of Germany, the United Kingdom, New England, and even New York City and New Mexico.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is due to <\/span><b>strong geomagnetic solar storms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> resulting from <\/span><b>coronal mass ejections (CMEs)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>What is the Aurora Phenomenon?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Auroras are natural light displays that occur in<\/span><b> Earth&#8217;s polar regions. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are\u00a0 known as <\/span><b>aurora borealis<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (northern lights) in the Northern Hemisphere and <\/span><b>aurora australis<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (southern lights) in the Southern Hemisphere.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are formed when <\/span><b>charged particles from the sun\u2019s solar wind<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> interact with <\/span><b>Earth&#8217;s magnetosphere<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which acts as a protective magnetic field around the planet.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These particles get trapped in Earth&#8217;s magnetic field and funnel down toward the polar regions, where they collide with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere, releasing energy in the form of light.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This creates the vibrant colours seen in auroras, which can range from <\/span><b>green and red (oxygen)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to <\/span><b>blue and purple (nitrogen)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Solar Storms and the 11-Year Solar Cycle<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The recent surge in auroras is linked to the <\/span><b>11-year solar cycle<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, during which the sun&#8217;s activity rises and falls.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Right now, the sun is nearing the peak of this cycle, known as the <\/span><b>solar maximum<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where solar flares and storms become more frequent.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In May 2024, the sun released its<\/span><b> biggest solar flare<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in almost two decades, and since then, Earth has experienced several significant solar storms.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These<\/span><b> geomagnetic storms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will likely continue, as the solar maximum is not expected to subside until around 2026.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>What is a Geomagnetic Storm?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Geomagnetic storms are Disturbances in Earth&#8217;s magnetic field caused by <\/span><b>solar activity.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deep within the Sun, nuclear fusion continuously generates massive amounts of energy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-137291 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/142-670d17fe57ccb.webp\" alt=\"Aurora Borealis Lights\" width=\"450\" height=\"346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/142-670d17fe57ccb.webp 883w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/142-670d17fe57ccb-300x231.webp 300w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/142-670d17fe57ccb-768x591.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of this energy is emitted as sunlight, radiation (solar flares), and charged particles.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Solar wind:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Sun also releases a steady stream of charged particles called the <\/span><b>Coronal mass ejections (CMEs).<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Occasionally, it emits larger bursts of energy known as CMEs sending clouds of charged plasma into space.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When these bursts collide with Earth&#8217;s magnetic field, they can cause<\/span><b> geomagnetic storms.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Earth\u2019s Magnetic Field:\u00a0 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Acts as a protective shield, deflecting harmful solar radiation and charged particles.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Possible Impact of Heavy Geomagnetic Storm<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Critical risks to power Grid: Solar <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">storms can<\/span><b> induce electric currents in power lines<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>overloading transformers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and<\/span><b> causing blackouts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As occurred in <\/span><b>Quebec in 1989.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Impact on communication satellites:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It damages Earth-orbiting satellites, especially those in high, geosynchronous orbits.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Aviation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: With geomagnetic storms disrupting <\/span><b>radio communication and GPS,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> particularly for <\/span><b>flights near the polar regions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> where storm effects are stronger.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Threat to Astronauts:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Currently astronauts are not in immediate danger because they stay relatively near the Earth in low earth orbit.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They do have to be concerned about<\/span><b> cumulative radiation exposure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> during space walks.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Affect<\/span><b> space weather<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> throughout the <\/span><b>Solar System<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100.043%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 130.811%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Must Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UPSC Daily Editorials<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 80.2753%; text-align: 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auroras.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2089],"subject":[2092],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/137344"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=137344"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/137344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":137433,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/137344\/revisions\/137433"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=137344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=137344"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=137344"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=137344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}