University of Alaska Fairbanks Researchers Make Groundbreaking Discovery
In a groundbreaking study, scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks have identified a new type of electromagnetic wave that transports significant amounts of lightning energy into Earth’s magnetosphere. The discovery, made by Professor Emeritus Vikas Sonwalkar and Assistant Professor Amani Reddy, has been recently published in the esteemed journal, Science Advances.
New wave challenges existing theories on lightning energy
The newly discovered wave, dubbed the “specularly reflected whistler,” has the unique ability to carry lightning energy into the ionosphere at low latitudes and subsequently into the magnetosphere. This energy is reflected upward by the lower boundary of the ionosphere, approximately 88.5 kilometers above sea level, in the opposite hemisphere. This finding challenges the long-held belief that such energy remained confined within the ionosphere, never reaching Earth’s radiation belts.
Understanding radiation belts: A crucial element for space operations
Professor Sonwalkar emphasized the importance of understanding radiation belts and the various electromagnetic waves that affect them, particularly those originating from terrestrial lightning. He explained, “We as a society are dependent on space technology.” He further elaborated that modern communication and navigation systems, satellites, and spacecraft with astronauts encounter harmful energetic particles from the radiation belts, which can damage electronics and even cause cancer.
The research also unveiled that lightning energy entering the ionosphere at higher latitudes reaches the magnetosphere as a different type of whistler wave, known as the “magnetospherically reflected whistler.” This wave undergoes one or more reflections within the magnetosphere. Both types of whistlers—specularly reflected and magnetospherically reflected—coexist in Earth’s magnetosphere, according to the findings of Sonwalkar and Reddy’s research.
New model shows doubling of lightning energy
Utilizing plasma wave data from NASA’s Van Allen Probes and lightning information from the World Wide Lightning Detection Network, the scientists developed a wave propagation model. This model demonstrated a doubling of lightning energy reaching the magnetosphere when considering specularly reflected whistlers. This suggests that specularly reflected whistlers likely carry more lightning energy to the magnetosphere than their magnetospherically reflected counterparts.
This pioneering research not only challenges existing theories but also provides a deeper understanding of the intricate dynamics between lightning energy and Earth’s magnetosphere, paving the way for more informed space operations and technologies.