Unusual Aurora During Solar Wind Dropout
On May 10, for some unknown reason, the
Solar Wind virtually stopped.
Normally our
Sun emits a
wind of between
five and ten energetic particles per cubic centimeter
moving outward at about 500 kilometers per second.
Late on May 10, however, this
gale was reduced to a mere breeze of one
particle per every five cubic centimeters.
The
Sun's Corona
was suddenly able to flow out into the
Solar System relatively unimpeded,
creating beams of energetic
electrons.
One such beam apparently reached
Earth's North Magnetic Pole,
and was seen as the unusual X-ray aurora digitally reconstructed in the
above false-color image.
Our atmosphere absorbed the electrons.
This display gave direct evidence, however, that
Earth's North Magnetic Pole was connected to the Sun,
while the Earth's South Magnetic Pole
connected to the distant Solar System.
The Solar Wind returned
to normal on May 12.