What causes the aurora

Journal Article · Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · EOS, Transactions, American Geophysical Union; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/91EO00170· OSTI ID:6994070

Akasofu, Syunichi ^[1]

---

1. Alaska Univ., Fairbanks (United States)

As solar wind magnetic field lines reach the boundary of the magnetosphere, they interact with those of the earth's magnetic field and interconnect themselves. As a result, some of the solar magnetic field lines and the earth's magnetic field lines reconnect across the boundary of the magnetosphere; the earth magnetic field lines originate in the area surrounded by the auroral oval, which is approximately centered at the geomagnetic pole. The radius of the oval area is about 2500 km.

• OSTI ID: 6994070
• Journal Information: EOS, Transactions, American Geophysical Union; (United States), Journal Name: EOS, Transactions, American Geophysical Union; (United States) Vol. 73:19; ISSN 0096-3941; ISSN EOSTAJ
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661320* -- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
AURORAE
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR ATMOSPHERE
SOLAR WIND