Editing 2233: Aurora Meaning
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
+ | {{incomplete|Created by a an arXiv server. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | ||
− | The phenomenon of | + | The phenomenon of atmospheric {{w|aurora}} (known as aurora borealis in the northern hemisphere and aurora australis in the southern hemisphere) occurs as a result of charged particles emitted by the sun interacting with the earth's magnetic field. The magnetic field funnels the charged particles towards the polar regions of the earth. At some point, the flow of particles hits the atmosphere where the particles interact with the molecules of the gases which make up the atmosphere, adding to those molecules' energy. Those molecules subsequently release the added energy in the form of light, which is observed as an aurora. |
− | Where in the atmosphere the aurora occurs is related to the quantity | + | Where in the atmosphere the aurora occurs is related to the quantity & energy of the particles being emitted by the sun. Under normal circumstances, this occurs in high latitudes relatively close to the poles. In less common circumstances of more intense solar activity such as a a {{w|solar flare}} or {{w|coronal mass ejection}} (CME), aurora will occur at lower latitudes. This comic indicates both the rarity with which this would occur and the impact it would have on people. |
− | '''Polar latitudes:''' Normal | + | '''Polar latitudes:''' Normal, aurora typically can be seen in these high latitudes. |
− | '''Subpolar latitudes:''' (e.g. | + | '''Subpolar latitudes:''' (e.g. southern Canada/northern US) Happens frequently enough to be unconcerned but uncommon enough to be notable and interesting. About a week before the publication of this comic, on Wednesday, November 20, 2019, [https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/20/us/aurora-borealis-wednesday-trnd-scn/index.html aurora activity was visible] in the northern United States and southern Canada. |
− | '''Subtropical/Tropical latitudes:''' Charged particles of sufficient energy to cause | + | '''Subtropical/Tropical latitudes:''' Charged particles of sufficient energy to cause aurora at this latitude are likely to interfere with the functioning of electronics in orbit, possibly to the point of disabling them entirely. This has only happened on a few occasions in recorded history and not during the space age. |
− | '''Equatorial latitudes:''' | + | '''Equatorial latitudes:''' Aurora have never been recorded here, so all scientific inquiry into what the effect would be on the earth in general, and on life itself, is purely theoretical. Were this to actually occur, those theories could be proven or disproved based on actual observations (presuming all observers have not been incapacitated or otherwise occupied by the complete breakdown of all electric and electronic systems as the charged particles induce electric currents in conducting objects). |
− | The title text comments on what would happen if | + | The title text comments on what would happen if aurora were seen in the middlemost band. [http://arXiv.org arXiv.org] is an electronic database of research papers. The [https://arxiv.org/list/astro-ph.SR/recent astro-ph.SR] sublist is a list of papers in the "Solar and Stellar Astrophysics" topic. So if aurora were seen in the middlemost band, there would be many requests to upload electronic publications on the subject, as well as actual electrical interference to the servers of the website. |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[ | + | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
+ | |||
+ | :[Title above a circle representing the globe, with six sets of dashed lines showing bands of latitude.] | ||
:What it means if you see an aurora, by latitude. | :What it means if you see an aurora, by latitude. | ||
− | :[ | + | :[Top-most band:] |
− | :Normal | + | : Normal |
− | :Cool and exciting | + | :[Middle-top band:] |
− | :Someone should go check on our satellites | + | : Cool and exciting |
− | :A bunch of open questions in solar-terrestrial physics are about to be answered | + | :[Next band:] |
− | :Someone should go check on our satellites | + | : Someone should go check on our satellites |
− | :Cool and exciting | + | :[Middle band:] |
− | :Normal | + | : A bunch of open questions in solar-terrestrial physics are about to be answered |
+ | :[Next band:] | ||
+ | : Someone should go check on our satellites | ||
+ | :[Middle-bottom band:] | ||
+ | : Cool and exciting | ||
+ | :[Bottom-most band:] | ||
+ | : Normal | ||
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
− | |||
[[Category:Astronomy]] | [[Category:Astronomy]] |