Electron flows can affect satellites and space flights by causing electromagnetic waves,
Scientists at the University of CaliforniaLos Angeles discovered a new source of ultrafast electrons that fall like rain on Earth. This phenomenon creates a colorful northern lights, and on the other hand, it is dangerous for satellites, spacecraft and astronauts.
The researchers observed this process withlow Earth orbit with the help of the ELFIN mission is a pair of small satellites that were built at the University of California at Los Angeles. The authors combined the ELFIN data with information from NASA's THEMIS spacecraft. As a result, they found out that the rain of electrons was due to electromagnetic waves. They travel through plasma in space and impact electrons in Earth's magnetosphere, causing them to "leak" into the atmosphere.
According to the authors, these waves cause much more electron rain than current space weather theories and models predict.
The basis of this process is near-Earthouter space, which is filled with charged particles. They revolve around the planet in a large radius, this is called the Van Allen radiation belts. Electrons in these belts move in spirals that only change between the Earth's north and south poles. Under certain conditions, waves appear in the radiation belts that excite and accelerate electrons. As a result, their trajectory is stretched so much that they fall out of the belts and move into the atmosphere. The result is electron rain.
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