Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
In April 2023, Earth experienced widespread auroras, including in regions where they are typically rare. This phenomenon was triggered by a coronal mass ejection (CME) on April 21, leading to a G-4 class geomagnetic storm on April 23.
The auroras extended to lower latitudes, even reaching Ladakh in India. Such low-altitude auroras are rare, making this event particularly notable.
NASA Sun & Space revealed that a strange phenomenon occurred during this solar storm. For a brief period, a two-way “highway” formed between the Sun and Earth.
Typically, particles flow one way from the Sun to Earth. However, during this event, for about two hours, particles also flowed from Earth back to the Sun.
NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft flew through this path and collected data, providing valuable insights into this rare occurrence.
On April 24, 2023, auroras were visible as far south as Arizona, indicating the intensity of the solar storm and the extent of the auroral display.
During the solar storm, a part of Earth’s magnetic shield, known as the “bow shock,” dissipated. This allowed particles to escape from Earth and travel back to the Sun.
The dissipated bow shock created a path known as “Alfvén wings.” These wings allowed Earth’s particles to move directly towards the Sun, a phenomenon common on Jupiter’s moons but rare on Earth.
This event helps scientists understand the interactions between solar and terrestrial magnetic fields. The Alfvén wings are particularly significant in studying how particles travel in space and contribute to auroras on various celestial bodies.