Researchers uncover new information about white patch in northern lights
UCalgary researchers determine the ‘structured continuum emission’ or white patch is a source of heat
A fish-eye lens image of the structured continuum emission or “white patch” of the northern lights, taken at Rabbit Lake in Saskatchewan. (Photo courtesy of the University of Calgary)
A discovery by researchers in Calgary is providing a better understanding of a previously unexplained white patch that occasionally emerges with the northern lights.
The aurora borealis is caused by energized protons and electrons, which are sub-atomic particles that make up atoms, coming down from the sun, hitting the atmosphere and emitting colours during the collision.
“Normally, what causes a bright green line is from atomic oxygen and a bright red line from atomic oxygen and some purple from nitrogen,” said Eric Donovan, professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Calgary and author of the study, published Dec. 30 in Nature Communication.
“But now what you’re seeing is the atmosphere glowing at all wavelengths, and that’s the white.”
The white patch is a “heat source,” suggesting the aurora borealis is “more complex than previously thought.”
Donovan said the white light — called a “structured continuum emission” — had been mentioned before in research papers in the 1960s and 1970s but was largely “forgotten” and not something scientists knew much about.
The discovery of the heat source was possible after the research team used a new array of scientific-grade cameras with a detector that captures “magazine quality” images, Donovan explained in an interview with Nunatsiaq News.
Now that the team has uncovered these new clues about the way energy is deposited into the atmosphere, Donovan said there are more things to discover.
“We don’t necessarily understand it right now but we know that things are working differently than we understood them before this,” he said.
Donovan said that while the team may be the first scientists to discover the new information and publish a scientific statement, the term “discovery” should be taken with a grain of salt.
“There’s people out there who’ve seen the aurora way more than me, they’ll look at this and go, ‘I’ve seen that.’”
Def not gonna whistle during them
Nothing will happen.., I tried it
Yes it do I tried it too. I currently am headless!