Space Hurricane Spotted Above Earth For The First Time Ever
Scientists have confirmed something rather extraordinary exists – a space hurricane. No Im not making this up. Researchers analysing satellite data from 2014 identified a massive swirling mass of plasma in Earths upper atmosphere that behaved remarkably like terrestrial hurricanes. Except it rained electrons instead of water.
The discovery published in Nature Communications reveals a 1,000-kilometre-wide plasma vortex that churned above the extreme weather events over the North Pole for nearly eight hours. It had spiral arms, rotated counterclockwise, featured a calm central eye – all characteristics we associate with regular hurricanes down here.
What Even Is A Space Hurricane
Unlike regular hurricanes forming over warm ocean water driven by atmospheric dynamics, space hurricanes occur in the ionosphere where plasma interacts with Earths magnetic field. Energy comes not from ocean but from solar wind – streams of charged particles continuously flowing from Sun.
Professor Mike Lockwood from University of Reading explained the discovery proves space plasma hurricanes actually exist which was previously uncertain. Phenomenon was identified through retrospective analysis by team led by Shandong University in China.
Why Anyone Should Care
Space hurricanes could have practical implications for satellite operations and GPS systems. Electron precipitation associated with these storms could affect signals passing through ionosphere. Understanding when and how they form helps predict potential disruptions.
Research team noted conditions were surprisingly quiet during space hurricanes formation. Unlike typical geomagnetic storms that need strongly southward-oriented magnetic fields this event occurred when interplanetary magnetic field was pointing northward. Bit like finding tropical cyclone forming during winter.
Universal Phenomenon Maybe
Researchers suggest space hurricanes likely common throughout universe. Any planet with magnetic field and plasma atmosphere could potentially host similar phenomena. Mars Saturn Jupiter – all candidates. Solar tornadoes have already been observed in Suns atmosphere.
“Tropical storms are associated with huge amounts of energy, and these space hurricanes must be created by unusually large and rapid transfer of solar wind energy and charged particles into the Earths upper atmosphere” Lockwood noted. The 2014 event was only discovered through careful analysis years later. How many space hurricanes have occurred that we simply missed? Future monitoring may tell us.
