Steve and the ‘Picket Fence’

The dazzling northern and southern lights, often gracing the night sky with their green, red, and purple brilliance, captivate the hearts of travel enthusiasts worldwide. However, among these celestial displays, two unique phenomena—Steve and the glowing green “picket fence”—stand out, challenging the conventional understanding of auroras.

Distinct Illuminance Forms

Contrary to popular belief, new research proposes that Steve and the ‘picket fence’ are not typical auroras. They suggest that the appearance of these distinctive lights differs fundamentally from the processes responsible for conventional auroras.

Steve, an acronym for Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement, and the ‘picket fence’ are becoming increasingly common in the night sky. This surge in visibility aligns with the sun entering an active period within its 11-year cycle of solar storms and coronal mass ejections.

Proposed Rocket Launch

Researchers propose a daring solution to uncover the secrets behind Steve and the ‘picket fence’: launching a NASA rocket into the heart of the aurora. This ambitious endeavor aims to validate Gasque’s hypothesis and explore the exotic physics underlying these unique light spectra.

The Physics Behind the Picket Fence

The recently published paper in the journal Geophysical Research Letters delves into the physics of the ‘picket fence.’ It suggests that electric fields parallel to Earth’s magnetic field, situated in a region farther south than where typical auroras form, could produce the distinct color spectrum of the ‘picket fence.’ This groundbreaking concept challenges existing models of light creation and energy in auroras.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2023

Category: Science & Technology Current Affairs