 Isn't it Romantic? The amazing color displays and formations of the Northern Lights (also called "aurora borealis") are produced by basically three things: 1. The solar wind - a continuous flow of the Sun's magnetic field carrying charged particles (electrons and protons) from the Sun's atmosphere far out into the solar system.
3. The Earth's atmosphere - the protective shield of gases that surrounds the planet. Electrically charged particles come from space (1) and enter the Earth's magnetosphere (2). They accelerate along the Earth's magnetic field lines which concentrate at the poles. The particles then plunge into the upper atmosphere (3) where they collide with the gases that surround the Earth. These collisions create energy, and the excess energy is given off in the form of light emissions. We call these light emissions the Northern Lights.
Click pictures for more information and credits. Library: Northern Lights, Arctic Environment / Atmosphere Links: Northern Lights, Arctic Northern Lights: SLIDE SHOW! Arctic Maps & Weather Reports |
|
DICTIONARY: Just "double-click" any unlinked word on this page for the definition from Merriam-Webster's Student Electronic Dictionary at Word Central. |
|
ARCTIC LIBRARY & GLOSSARY: Check this section for an index of the rest of the things you really need to know about the Arctic. |
|
ARCTIC MAPS & WEATHER REPORTS: Maps of the Northwest Passage, explorers' routes, iceberg sources, Nunavut, the Arctic by treeline, temperature... |
|
ARCTIC LINKS: Even more information! Links to sites related to the Arctic and "Iceberg: the Story of the Throps and the Squallhoots". |
|
GUIDE TO ARCTIC SUNRISE & SUNSET: How much sunlight or darkness is there in the Arctic on each day of the year? |
to is the property of their respective owners, and Athropolis is not responsible for their content.