What causes the different shapes of the Northern Lights?

Whereas arcs are caused primarily by electrons being accelerated into the atmosphere when Earth’s magnetic field, stretched out by the solar wind, reconfigures itself, the dimmer pulsating aurora is thought to be caused by waves of charged particles scattering electrons into the atmosphere.

How does the aurora borealis and aurora australis form?

They are ionized or excited by the collision of solar wind and magnetospheric particles (such as high energy protons and electrons) funneling down and accelerating along the Earth’s magnetic field lines. The excited particles’ energy is lost by the emitting photon or colliding with another atom or molecule.

What elements are used in the Aurora Borealis?

Element Emission Colors

• Oxygen: The big player in the aurora is oxygen.
• Nitrogen: Nitrogen emits blue (multiple wavelengths) and red light.
• Other Gases: Other gases in the atmosphere become excited and emit light, although the wavelengths may be outside of the range of human vision or else too faint to see.

What causes the aurora and where in the atmosphere does it take place?

Auroras happen when particles from the Sun interact with gases in our atmosphere, causing beautiful displays of light in the sky. Auroras are often seen in areas near the North Pole or South Pole. If you’re ever near the North or South Pole, you may be in for a very special treat.

What is the shape of Northern Lights?

The brightest and the most distinctive of all forms of auroras are the ones which are curtain-like in the shape of an arc, extending in the east-west direction. This natural light effect is known as ‘aurora borealis’ in northern altitudes, while the effect in the southern latitudes is known as ‘aurora australis’.

What is the shape of Northern Lights passage?

Northern Lights can be seen in the northern or southern hemisphere, in an irregularly shaped oval centred over each magnetic pole. The lights are known as ‘Aurora borealis’ in the north and ‘Aurora australis’ in the south.

What is the difference between northern lights and southern lights?

Spoiler alert: both northern and southern lights are both types of Auroras. The main difference? One occurs near the south pole, and the others at the north. The scientific name for the northern lights is Aurora Borealis, while the scientific name for the southern lights is Aurora Australis.

What is the process that leads to the aurora borealis australis explain the role of the sun the Earth’s magnetosphere and atmosphere and what we see as a result?

Bottom line: When charged particles from the sun strike atoms in Earth’s atmosphere, they cause electrons in the atoms to move to a higher-energy state. When the electrons drop back to a lower energy state, they release a photon: light. This process creates the beautiful aurora, or northern lights.

What causes the northern lights or the aurora borealis?

The lights we see in the night sky are in actual fact caused by activity on the surface of the Sun. Solar storms on our star’s surface give out huge clouds of electrically charged particles. The aurora’s characteristic wavy patterns and ‘curtains’ of light are caused by the lines of force in the Earth’s magnetic field.

What is the cause of the Aurora Borealis the Northern Lights )? Quizlet?

What is the cause of the aurora borealis (the northern lights)? The Earth’s magnetic field guides trapped charged particles to follow field lines toward the poles, where they collide with the atmosphere, causing a glow.

What is the reason behind aurora?

The lights we see in the night sky are in actual fact caused by activity on the surface of the Sun. Solar storms on our star’s surface give out huge clouds of electrically charged particles. These particles can travel millions of miles, and some may eventually collide with the Earth.

What causes an aurora quizlet?

Auroras are caused by the interactions of the particles ejected from the Sun and the earth’s magnetosphere. constant stream of particles flowing from the Sun is known as the solar wind.