We've finally figured out what creates the beautiful auroras that light up the northern night skies!

     Have you ever wondered what creates auroras, the light shows that light up the skies at Earth's poles? Scientists may have discovered the solution. Solar storms have long been known to create auroras, but the processes that cause them have remained unknown... until now!

    Auroras arise on Earth when bursts of charged particles from the Sun collide with our magnetic fields in the atmosphere.

Aurora

    It turns out that electrons are in charge of the entire operation. Scientists seek to understand the source of such solar outbursts in a new study published in Nature that spans 20 years.

What are the effects of solar storms?

    Solar storms modify our planet's magnetic field in a variety of ways. The dazzling auroras appear when this happens. Scientists had previously linked this to Alfvén waves, which describe what happens to magnetic fields when they are struck by solar storms, but they were only able to prove it recently. When the magnetic field is temporarily disturbed, it tries to return to its previous position, which accelerates electrons in the atmosphere.

    These electrons are delighted to show off their abilities. When they charge up the oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth's atmosphere, we see auroras, a mesmerizing light show in the sky.

    Our magnetic field functions similarly to a rubber band that releases energy when stretched. And what is it that is straining it? Storms on the sun! The electron-laden process kicks in when it snaps back into its former shape, providing us a glimpse into the wonders of the universe.

    The spectacular display in the sky is known as aurora borealis in the North Pole and aurora australis in the South Pole.

What did scientists undertake to demonstrate the importance of Alfvén waves?

    They simply made up their own rules. According to the paper's primary author, Wheaton College physicist James Schroeder, such waves can be produced by causing "disturbances in magnetized plasma." They used the “Large Plasma Device” at the University of California, Los Angeles, to accomplish this.

    However, creating an Alfvén wave is difficult, and the gadget had never been utilized for this purpose before. However, after scientists were able to make the waves, the electrons were driven to high energies by the Alfvén waves, much to everyone's surprise. In essence, the scientists discovered that they were correct and that solar storms colliding with the magnetic field with the help of Alfvén waves could cause auroras in the northern sky.