via SpaceWeather.com

EARTH'S RING CURRENT JUST SPRANG A LEAK:

"During this past weekend's strong G3-class geomagnetic storm, low-latitude #auroras spread as far south as #Texas and #Arizona. Upon further review, most of those lights were not auroras at all. Everything #red in this montage is an 'SAR arc'.

"'On Nov. 5th, the ring current was pumped up by hours of strong geomagnetic storming, with energy dissipating into these SAR arcs,' says Jeff Baumgardner of Boston University's Center for Space Physics. 'It was a global event. Our cameras registered #SAR arc activity from #Italy to #NewZealand.'

"Recent research has linked SAR arcs to another phenomenon that is not an aurora: #STEVE. The #mauve ribbon in the sky was not originally thought to have anything to do with Earth's ring current. Yet in 2015, observers in New Zealand caught a bright red SAR arc transforming itself into STEVE like a caterpillar into a butterfly.

"On Nov. 5th, Mark Savage may have witnessed the same metamorphosis over Northumberland, #UK:

"Visible to the naked eye, STEVE materialized from an overhanging red arc. 'The entire process took about 10 minutes,' says Savage. This timescale roughly matches that of another SAR-to-STEVE transition observed over Canada in April 2022. Clearly, the two phenomena are linked, but researchers aren't sure how.

"'The connection is still elusive,' says Carlos Martinis, a leading researcher in the field at Boston University. 'Sometimes SAR arcs evolve into STEVE--but not always. This is a very active field of research, involving citizen scientists and researchers.'

"Did you see an SAR arc on Nov. 5th? Submit your pictures to Spaceweather.com."

https://spaceweather.com/

#SpaceWeather #RingCurrent #GeomagneticStorm #CitizenScience #RingArc #SARArc #SolarFlares #SolarCycle25

SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids

An artist's depiction of the #RingCurrent strip -- inactive and active.
[Image via Spaceweather.com]
@DoomsdaysCW
Now more things to look for in the sky! I've seen aurora quite sometimes. Heard the static noise too.
I want to see a STEVE, and now I want a SAR too. Also sprites, crown flash, moonbow.. I have a list.
@boiga Speaking of lists... Check out these accounts! https://kolektiva.social/@DoomsdaysCW/110278116392555402
DoomsdaysCW (@[email protected])

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kolektiva.social
@DoomsdaysCW what's the implication boss? Cool lights? Or something bad
@che_tibby From SpaceWeather.com:
"Auroras appear when charged particles rain down from space, hitting the atmosphere and causing it to glow. SAR arcs form differently. They are a sign of heat energy leaking into the upper atmosphere from Earth's ring current system–a donut-shaped circuit carrying millions of amps around our planet." I will look into the implications and let you know what I find out.

@DoomsdaysCW now that has significant scifi potential.

thanks!

@che_tibby I found this:
"Earth's own magnetic field adjusts to the solar wind, usually keeping us safe in a magnetic bubble. A CME brings faster and denser solar wind, and a stronger magnetic field, which can impact our magnetic field and disrupt it."

So, I'm wondering if the magnetic field gets too fried, we'll end up like Mars? Definitely looking into this more when I have time. What are the implications?!

https://www.newsweek.com/geomagnetic-storm-northern-lights-across-country-1784293

Massive Solar Storm Slamming Into Earth Sparks Aurora Around the World

The spectacular red lights in the sky were caused by a G3 geomagnetic storm interacting with Earth's atmosphere.

Newsweek
@DoomsdaysCW i guess the first question is, has that scenario happened before?
@che_tibby So, in trying to answer your question, I discovered that there was evidence of two massive solar flares -- one around 750 BCE, the other around 7,200 BCE. I'm not finding evidence of any major disuptions, though there is evidence of radiation coming through. I had first thought maybe the 7200 BCE event might have been connected to the Younger Dryas period, but the timing is way off (Younger Dryas was 10,000 BCE). However, there is new evidence that an impact from space caused the extreme cooling of the Younger Dryas period -- so I learned something new today!