{"id":257623,"date":"2023-05-16T09:22:34","date_gmt":"2023-05-16T07:22:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=257623"},"modified":"2023-05-16T09:22:43","modified_gmt":"2023-05-16T07:22:43","slug":"mysterious-aurora-blobs-identified","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=257623","title":{"rendered":"Mysterious \u201cAurora Blobs\u201d\u00a0Identified"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Spaceweather.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By DR.TONY PHILLIPS<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 15, 2023:<\/strong> Europeans are still trying to wrap their minds around what happened on April 23, 2023. Everyone knew that a CME was coming, so its impact was not a surprise. Photographers were already outside at sunset waiting for auroras. And, indeed, auroras appeared, but they were very strange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had never seen anything quite like it,\u201d says longtime aurora watcher Heiko Ulbricht of Saxony, Germany. \u201cThe auroras began to tear themselves apart, forming individual spots and blobs which rose all the way to the zenith.\u201d Here is a sample of what he saw:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt literally took my breath away,\u201d he says. \u201cMy pulse was still racing hours later!\u201d The same blobs were sighted in France<\/a> and Poland<\/a>, and in Denmark they were caught flashing like a disco strobe light<\/a>.

Ordinary auroras don\u2019t act like this.

\u201cThese were not ordinary auroras,\u201d confirms space physicist Toshi Nishimura of Boston University. \u201cThey are called \u2018proton auroras,\u2019 and they come from Earth\u2019s ring current system.\u201d

Most people don\u2019t realize that Earth has rings. Unlike Saturn\u2019s rings, which are vast disks of glittering ice, Earth\u2019s rings are invisible to the naked eye. They are made of electricity\u2013a donut-shaped circuit carrying millions of amps around our planet. The ring current skims the orbits of geosynchronous satellites and plays a huge role in determining the severity of geomagnetic storms. Earth is the only rocky planet in our Solar System that has one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, during strong geomagnetic storms, protons rain down from the ring system, causing a secondary shower of electrons, which strike the atmosphere and make auroras. Earth-orbiting satellites have actually seen these protons on their way down. Ordinary auroras, on the other hand, are caused by particles from more distant parts of Earth\u2019s magnetosphere and have nothing to do with Earth\u2019s ring current.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mystery solved? Not entirely. \u201cWe still don\u2019t know why proton auroras seem to tear themselves apart in such a dramatic way,\u201d says Nishimura. \u201cThis is a question for future research.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was very exciting to watch,\u201d recalls Ulbricht. \u201cI would definitely like to see these again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good, because they are likely to return. Solar Cycle 25 ramping up to a potentially-strong Solar Maximum next year. Future storms will surely knock more protons loose from the ring current system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what to look for: (1) Proton auroras tend to appear around sunset. Why? Electric fields in Earth\u2019s magnetosphere tend to push the protons toward the dusk side of our planet. (2) Proton auroras love to pulse\u2013a sign of plasma wave activity in Earth\u2019s ring current. (3) Proton auroras are often accompanied by deep red arcs of light (SARs), which are caused by heat leaking from the ring current system. These arcs were also seen on April 23rd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let the proton rain begin!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Europeans are still trying to wrap their minds around what happened on April 23, 2023. Everyone knew that a CME was coming, so its impact was not a surprise. Photographers were already outside at sunset waiting for auroras. And, indeed, auroras appeared, but they were very strange.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":257628,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691819589,691819590,691818961,691819344],"class_list":{"0":"post-257623","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-aurora-blobs","9":"tag-blobs","10":"tag-cme","11":"tag-solar-cycle-25","13":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/0-Earth-magnestospere.jpeg?fit=1576%2C1212&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-151d","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":278735,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=278735","url_meta":{"origin":257623,"position":0},"title":"\u201cStealthy CME\u201d Sparks Geomagnetic\u00a0Storm","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"14\/09\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"(Spaceweather.com) An unexpected CME\u00a0hit\u00a0Earth\u2019s magnetic field on Sept. 12th (1237 UT) and sparked a\u00a0G2-class geomagnetic storm. Magnetically, the CME remained\u00a0connected to our planet\u00a0for more than 13 hours, allowing plasma from the CME\u2019s wake to enter Earth\u2019s magnetosphere. This fueled a display of auroras photographed as far south as\u00a0Missouri\u00a0(+40.2N) and\u00a0Nebraska\u00a0(+40.9N).","rel":"","context":"In \"CME\"","block_context":{"text":"CME","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=cme"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00Matthew-Merrell-9-12-1_1694615910.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00Matthew-Merrell-9-12-1_1694615910.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00Matthew-Merrell-9-12-1_1694615910.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00Matthew-Merrell-9-12-1_1694615910.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00Matthew-Merrell-9-12-1_1694615910.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":249658,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=249658","url_meta":{"origin":257623,"position":1},"title":"Severe Geomagnetic Storm: March 23-24, 2023","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"25\/03\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Forecasters did not see this one coming. On March 23-24, auroras spread into the United States as far south as\u00a0New Mexico\u00a0(+32.8N) during a severe (category\u00a0G4) geomagnetic storm\u2013the most intense in nearly 6 years.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-1092.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-1092.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-1092.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-1092.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-1092.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":213009,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=213009","url_meta":{"origin":257623,"position":2},"title":"Surprise Geomagnetic Storm","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"11\/08\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Aug. 8, 2022:\u00a0A solar wind stream hit Earth\u2019s magnetic field on August 7th. At first, the stream\u2019s velocity was low, but during the day it sped up to more than 600 km\/s, ultimately triggering a\u00a0G2-class\u00a0(moderately strong) geomagnetic storm.\u00a0This event\u00a0was not in the forecast, so the resulting auroras came as a\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/0summer_auroras.webp?fit=713%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/0summer_auroras.webp?fit=713%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/0summer_auroras.webp?fit=713%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/0summer_auroras.webp?fit=713%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":228026,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=228026","url_meta":{"origin":257623,"position":3},"title":"21 years Ago, A Severe Geomagnetic Storm","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"07\/11\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Young Solar Cycle 25 has already produced 8 similar X-flares since 2021. None of the related CMEs delivered a direct hit, however.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/0heiko-ulbricht-polarlicht_1667690000.webp?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/0heiko-ulbricht-polarlicht_1667690000.webp?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/0heiko-ulbricht-polarlicht_1667690000.webp?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/0heiko-ulbricht-polarlicht_1667690000.webp?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":422345,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=422345","url_meta":{"origin":257623,"position":4},"title":"X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE \u2013 CME headed toward Earth","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"21\/01\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A full-halo CME is heading for Earth following a long-duration X1.9-class solar flare on Jan. 18th. The CME\u2019s\u00a0arrival on Jan. 20th\u00a0could spark strong geomagnetic storms with\u00a0auroras at mid-latitudes.","rel":"","context":"In \"auroras at mid-latitudes\"","block_context":{"text":"auroras at mid-latitudes","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=auroras-at-mid-latitudes"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/00Screenshot-2026-01-21-090947.png?fit=965%2C954&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/00Screenshot-2026-01-21-090947.png?fit=965%2C954&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/00Screenshot-2026-01-21-090947.png?fit=965%2C954&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/00Screenshot-2026-01-21-090947.png?fit=965%2C954&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":254694,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=254694","url_meta":{"origin":257623,"position":5},"title":"Severe Geomagnetic Storm: April 23-24, 2023","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"26\/04\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"A CME hit Earth\u2019s magnetic field on April 23rd,\u00a0a direct hit\u00a0that sparked a severe\u00a0G4-class geomagnetic storm. Northern lights spilled out of the Arctic Circle all the way down to the US-Mexico border (+29.5N)","rel":"","context":"In \"CME\"","block_context":{"text":"CME","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=cme"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/00Brad-Dwight-Terlingua-Aurora-752693_1682365090.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/00Brad-Dwight-Terlingua-Aurora-752693_1682365090.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/00Brad-Dwight-Terlingua-Aurora-752693_1682365090.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/00Brad-Dwight-Terlingua-Aurora-752693_1682365090.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/00Brad-Dwight-Terlingua-Aurora-752693_1682365090.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/257623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=257623"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/257623\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":257630,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/257623\/revisions\/257630"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/257628"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=257623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=257623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=257623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}