Why does the aurora borealis occur in the thermosphere?

Why does the aurora borealis occur in the thermosphere?

The ionosphere is a region of the atmosphere that is ionized by solar radiation and is responsible for auroras (the aurora borealis in the northern hemisphere and the aurora australis in the southern hemisphere). The ionosphere forms the inner edge of the magnetosphere.

What causes the northern lights aurora borealis?

The northern lights are caused by electrons being blown out by the solar wind. These tiny electrons mix with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, which makes them glow.

What are the auroras caused by?

An aurora is a colorful light show in the sky caused by the Sun. 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.

Why is the thermosphere called the thermosphere?

The thermosphere is the layer in the Earth’s atmosphere directly above the mesosphere and below the exosphere. Taking its name from the Greek θερμός (pronounced thermos) meaning heat, the thermosphere begins at about 80 km (50 mi) above sea level.

How is the aurora borealis formed?

As solar wind approaches the Earth, it meets the Earth’s magnetic field. In the ionosphere, the ions of the solar wind collide with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen from the Earth’s atmosphere. The energy released during these collisions causes a colorful glowing halo around the poles—an aurora.

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 causes the aurora borealis or northern lights to occur quizlet?

A glow in the Earth’s ionosphere caused by the interaction between the Earth’s magnetic field and charged particles from the Sun (The Solar Wind). It gives rise to the “Northern Lights”, or Aurora Borealis, in the Northern Hemisphere, and the Aurora Australis in the Southern Hemisphere.

Where does Aurora Borealis occur?

They occur most frequently in a belt of radius 2500 km centered on the magnetic north pole. This so-called auroral zone extends over northern Scandinavia, Island, the southern tip of Greenland and continuing over northern Canada, Alaska and along the northern coast of Siberia.

What is the thermosphere known for?

The thermosphere is the fourth layer of the Earth’s atmosphere that absorbs the sun’s radiation, making it very hot. The thermosphere puts on the auroras, a dazzling light show caused by colliding particles, and the thermosphere is also where satellites orbit the Earth.

What causes Aurora Borealis to appear on Earth?

When charged particles from the sun strike air molecules in Earth’s magnetic field, they cause those molecules’ atoms to become excited. The molecules give off light as they calm down. Image via NASA The aurora often appears as curtains of lights, but they can also be arcs or spirals, often following lines of force in Earth’s magnetic field.

What are the causes of the Northern Lights?

What causes the aurora? What causes the aurora? The “northern lights” are caused by collisions between fast-moving particles (electrons) from space and the oxygen and nitrogen gas in our atmosphere. These electrons originate in the magnetosphere, the region of space controlled by Earth’s magnetic field.

Where does the energy from the Aurora come from?

To become stable again, the excess energy is released suddenly, with much of the energy going into the acceleration of electrons. The aurora primarily occurs where the magnetic eld guides the electrons from the tail of the magneto- sphere into the atmosphere where they produce the aurora.

How are auroras related to the Sun and Earth?

Auroras are a sign that Sun and Earth are connected by more than sunlight. They indicate that something electric is happening in space. The Sun provides the energy for the aurora, but particles in the aurora come from Earth’s own neighborhood in space.