Area
Lightning strikes near Earth generate electro-magnetic waves called “whistlers” that can bring energy high enough above our world to position a danger to satellites and astronauts
By Karmela Padavic-Callaghan
(svg viewBox=”0 0 32 32″ variation=”1.1″ function=”img” fill=”rgb(0, 0, 0)” xmlns: xlink =[
(course d=”M22 5.16c-.406-.054-1.806-.16-3.43-.16-3.4 0-5.733 1.825-5.733 5.17v2.882H9v3.913h3.837V27h4.604V16.965h3.823l.587-3.913h-4.41v-2.5c0-1.123.347-1.903 2.198-1.903H22V5.16z” fill-rule =”evenodd” /)
(svg width =[“22″ height =”22”
(course fill=”#000″ d=”m12.21 9.814 5.644-6.556h-1.338l-4.9 5.692L7.7 3.258H3.185l5.92 8.608-5.92 6.875h1.338L9.7 12.73l4.134 6.011h4.515L12.21 9.814Zm-1.833 2.128-.6-.857-4.772-6.821H7.06l3.851 5.505.6.857 5.006 7.155h-2.055l-4.085-5.839Z” /)
(svg design =”fill:#000″ viewBox=”0 0 32 32″(course fill-rule =”evenodd” d=”M19.11 17.205c-.372 0-1.088 1.39-1.518 1.39a.63.63 0 0 1-.315-.1c-.802-.402-1.504-.817-2.163-1.447-.545-.516-1.146-1.29-1.46-1.963a.426.426 0 0 1-.073-.215c0-.33.99-.945.99-1.49 0-.143-.73-2.09-.832-2.335-.143-.372-.214-.487-.6-.487-.187 0-.36-.043-.53-.043-.302 0-.53.115-.746.315-.688.645-1.032 1.318-1.06 2.264v.114c-.015.99.472 1.977 1.017 2.78 1.23 1.82 2.506 3.41 4.554 4.34.616.287 2.035.888 2.722.888.817 0 2.15-.515 2.478-1.318.13-.33.244-.73.244-1.088 0-.058 0-.144-.03-.215-.1-.172-2.434-1.39-2.678-1.39zm-2.908 7.593c-1.747 0-3.48-.53-4.942-1.49L7.793 24.41l1.132-3.337a8.955 8.955 0 0 1-1.72-5.272c0-4.955 4.04-8.995 8.997-8.995S25.2 10.845 25.2 15.8c0 4.958-4.04 8.998-8.998 8.998zm0-19.798c-5.96 0-10.8 4.842-10.8 10.8 0 1.964.53 3.898 1.546 5.574L5 27.176l5.974-1.92a10.807 10.807 0 0 0 16.03-9.455c0-5.958-4.842-10.8-10.802-10.8z”/)
(svg viewBox=”0 0 32 32″ variation =”1.1″ function =”img” design=”fill: rgb(0, 0, 0);” xmlns: xlink=”http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink”
(course d=”M26 25.963h-4.185v-6.55c0-1.56-.027-3.57-2.175-3.57-2.18 0-2.51 1.7-2.51 3.46v6.66h-4.182V12.495h4.012v1.84h.058c.558-1.058 1.924-2.174 3.96-2.174 4.24 0 5.022 2.79 5.022 6.417v7.386zM8.23 10.655a2.426 2.426 0 0 1 0-4.855 2.427 2.427 0 0 1 0 4.855zm-2.098 1.84h4.19v13.468h-4.19V12.495z” fill-rule=”evenodd” /)
(svg viewBox=”0 0 32 32″ variation=”1.1″ function=”img” design=”fill: rgb(0, 0, 0);” xmlns: xlink =”http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink”
(course d=”M27 15.5a2.452 2.452 0 0 1-1.338 2.21c.098.38.147.777.147 1.19 0 1.283-.437 2.47-1.308 3.563-.872 1.092-2.06 1.955-3.567 2.588-1.506.634-3.143.95-4.91.95-1.768 0-3.403-.316-4.905-.95-1.502-.632-2.69-1.495-3.56-2.587-.872-1.092-1.308-2.28-1.308-3.562 0-.388.045-.777.135-1.166a2.47 2.47 0 0 1-1.006-.912c-.253-.4-.38-.842-.38-1.322 0-.678.237-1.26.712-1.744a2.334 2.334 0 0 1 1.73-.726c.697 0 1.29.26 1.78.782 1.785-1.258 3.893-1.928 6.324-2.01l1.424-6.467a.42.42 0 0 1 .184-.26.4.4 0 0 1 .32-.063l4.53 1.006c.147-.306.368-.553.662-.74a1.78 1.78 0 0 1 .97-.278c.508 0 .94.18 1.302.54.36.36.54.796.54 1.31 0 .512-.18.95-.54 1.315-.36.364-.794.546-1.302.546-.507 0-.94-.18-1.295-.54a1.793 1.793 0 0 1-.533-1.308l-4.1-.92-1.277 5.86c2.455.074 4.58.736 6.37 1.985a2.315 2.315 0 0 1 1.757-.757c.68 0 1.256.242 1.73.726.476.484.713 1.066.713 1.744zm-16.868 2.47c0 .513.178.95.534 1.315.356.365.787.547 1.295.547.508 0 .942-.182 1.302-.547.36-.364.54-.802.54-1.315 0-.513-.18-.95-.54-1.31-.36-.36-.794-.54-1.3-.54-.5 0-.93.183-1.29.547a1.79 1.79 0 0 0-.54 1.303zm9.944 4.406c.09-.09.135-.2.135-.323a.444.444 0 0 0-.44-.447c-.124 0-.23.042-.32.124-.336.348-.83.605-1.486.77a7.99 7.99 0 0 1-1.964.248 7.99 7.99 0 0 1-1.964-.248c-.655-.165-1.15-.422-1.486-.77a.456.456 0 0 0-.32-.124.414.414 0 0 0-.306.124.41.41 0 0 0-.135.317.45.45 0 0 0 .134.33c.352.355.837.636 1.455.843.617.207 1.118.33 1.503.366a11.6 11.6 0 0 0 1.117.056c.36 0 .733-.02 1.117-.056.385-.037.886-.16 1.504-.366.62-.207 1.104-.488 1.456-.844zm-.037-2.544c.507 0 .938-.182 1.294-.547.356-.364.534-.802.534-1.315 0-.505-.18-.94-.54-1.303a1.75 1.75 0 0 0-1.29-.546c-.506 0-.94.18-1.3.54-.36.36-.54.797-.54 1.31s.18.95.54 1.315c.36.365.794.547 1.3.547z” fill-rule =”evenodd” /)
(svg viewBox=”0 0 32 32″ variation=”1.1″ function=”img” design=”fill: rgb(0, 0, 0);” xmlns: xlink=”http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink”
(svg viewBox=”0 0 32 32″ variation=”1.1″ function=”img” design=”fill: rgb(0, 0, 0);” xmlns: xlink=”http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink”
(img width =”1350″ height =”899″ alt src=”https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/15193214/SEI_217503197.jpg” packing =”eager” fetchpriority=”high” data-image-context=”Article” data-image-id=”2444224″ data-caption=”Lightning can produce special waves of energy” data-credit=”RooM the Agency/Alamy”
Lightning can produce unique waves of energy
Space the Agency/Alamy
A neglected system lets energy from lightning reach the greatest layers of the environment, where it might threaten the security of satellites and astronauts.
When lightning takes place, the energy it brings often generates unique electro-magnetic waves called whistlers, so called since they can be transformed to sound signals. For years, scientists believed lightning-induced whistlers would stay trapped reasonably near Earth's surface area, listed below about 1000 kilometres.
Now Vikas Sonwalkar and Amani Reddy at the University of Alaska Fairbanks have actually found that some whistlers can bounce off a layer of the environment called the ionosphere, which is filled with charged particles. This makes it possible for the waves, and the energy they bring, to reach ranges approximately 20,000 kilometres above the world's surface area. That indicates they can take a trip deep into the magnetosphere, the area of area controlled by Earth's electromagnetic field.
The scientists discovered proof of these shown whistlers in information from the Van Allen Probes, twin robotic spacecraft that determined the magnetosphere in between 2012 and 2019. They likewise saw signatures of this phenomenon in research studies released as early as the 1960s. Old and brand-new information all recommend that it is extremely regular and occurring continuously, states Reddy.
Lightning might be contributing two times as much energy to this location of area as previous quotes suggested, the group states. And this energy charges and speeds up close-by particles, producing electro-magnetic radiation that can harm satellites and damage the health of astronauts.
“Lightning was constantly thought to be a bit of a smaller sized gamer. We have not had this information up until a years back, and we have actually definitely not been taking a look at it with this excellent level of information,” states Jacob Bortnik at the University of California, Los Angeles. The brand-new work extends an invite to other scientists to establish a more precise photo of the magnetosphere, he states.
Developing the link in between lightning and the magnetosphere is likewise crucial since modifications in Earth's environment might be making lightning-heavy storms more typical, states Sonwalkar.
The group now wishes to evaluate information from more satellites. It wants to find out more about how lightning-based whistlers occupy the magnetosphere, and how they might be impacted by area weather condition.
Subjects:
Find out more