For the first time, astronomers have discovered visual evidence of the existence of plasma tubular structures within the magnetosphere that surrounds the Earth.
For the past 60 years, scientists have believed that the Earth is surrounded by these structures, but have only now been able to image them. Now Australian scientists have visual confirmation that these structures are indeed there.
Their discovery is very important, as they provoke unwanted signal distortion. This can, for example, affect military and civilian satellite navigation systems. That is why it is so important to study them.
Where did the plasma structures in the atmosphere come from?
The magnetosphere is an area in near-earth space occupied by the planet's magnetic field. Plasma in it is created by the atmosphere when ionized by sunlight. The ionosphere is the inner layer of the magnetosphere; the plasmasphere is located above it. Due to this arrangement, many plasma structures appear, including pipes.
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Scientists have found that these plasma structures are located 600 kilometers from the earth's surface, in the upper layers of the ionosphere. Most likely, they continue in the plasmasphere. This is the area where the neutral atmosphere ends and the plasma of outer space begins.
How did the discovery happen?
To locate these structures, the scientists used a radio telescope located in the Western Australian Desert. They were able to get a picture of the movement of the plasma in real time, using fast adjustments to the radio telescope images and viewing large areas of the sky.
The great contribution of Australian scientists to science is not only that they discovered these structures, but also that they were able to convince the rest of the scientific community of their existence. This is an impressive achievement.