What Caused The First-Ever 'Polar Rain' Auroras On Earth? Scientists Finally Have An Answer

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Have you ever heard of a green "rainstorm" lighting up the sky? Sounds like science fiction, but that's exactly what caused an unusual aurora over the Arctic on Christmas Day in 2022.

For two years, researchers have been puzzling over this strange phenomenon. Unlike the usual auroras that dance and pulsate in vibrant colors, this one was a faint, featureless green glow that stretched for around 4,000 kilometers. It was also the first time such an aurora was ever seen from Earth.

Thanks to experts from the Center for Space Science and Radio Engineering at the University of Electro-Communications in Tokyo, we finally have an answer.

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Instead of the usual stream of charged particles from the Sun causing the aurora, this time it was a downpour of electrons. During this rare event, the solar wind became unusually calm, leaving Earth's surroundings peaceful. This unexpected calmness allowed a "rainstorm" of electrons to flow directly from the Sun towards Earth.

Normally, these electrons get trapped in a part of Earth's magnetic field. But in this case, the electrons streamed down Earth's magnetic field lines towards the poles. As they collided with molecules in our atmosphere, they lit up the sky with an ethereal green glow.

Scientists, led by Dr. Keisuke Hosokawa from Japan, were able to solve the puzzle by comparing the aurora with data from satellites. Their findings not only explain this rare Christmas lightshow but also add to the overall understanding of auroras and space weather.

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