The intense solar wind streams which have been slamming the magnetic field of Earth – also known as the magnetosphere – have led to some major changes.
The solar winds have formed the sunward side of the magnetosphere which is called a bow shock and has stretched the magnetic field in the shape of a wind sock with a long tail on the nightside.
The solar wind went through dramatic changes and has altered the dynamics and structure of the magnetosphere.
Powerful CMEs disrupting Earth’s magnetosphere
In an article published in Geophysical Research Letters, Li‐Jen Chen and his colleagues reported that there were unprecedented observations of a rare phenomenon which has been created during a coronal mass ejection (CME).
It was observed that CMEs move faster in comparison to the Alfvén speed, which is the speed at which vibrating magnetic field lines move across magnetized plasma that can vary with the plasma environment.
In 2023, a CME disrupted the normal configuration of the magnetosphere of Earth for nearly two hours.
The observations from NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) were analysed by the researchers.
The MMS spacecraft on April 24, 2023, observed that although the solar wind’s streaming speed was fast, the Alfvén speed noticed amid strong CME was even faster. Generally, solar wind travels faster in comparison to Alfvén’s speed.
This anomaly causes the bow shock in Earth to temporarily disappear and let the plasma and magnetic field from the Sun interact directly with the magnetosphere.
What did the CMEs do to Earth’s wind sock tail?
It was observed by scientists that the wind sock tail of the Earth was replaced by structures called Alfvén wings which formed a connection between the magnetosphere of the Earth to the recently erupted region of the sun.
This connection worked like a highway which was transporting plasma between the Sun and the magnetosphere.
Watch: Gravitas: Mysterious dark oxygen found on ocean floor
The unique CME event gave new insights into how the formation and evolution of the Alfvén wings took place, said the authors.
A similar process can take place near other magnetically active bodies in our solar system and universe and the observations of the researchers suggested that the auroras were formed on the moon of Jupiter, Ganymede, because of these Alfvén wings.
(With inputs from agencies)
Shambhu Kumar is a science communicator, making complex scientific topics accessible to all. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
