On March 28th, a co-rotating interaction region (CIR) is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field. CIRs are transition zones between slow- and fast-moving streams of solar wind. They contain shock-like density gradients and compressed magnetic fields that often do a good job sparking Arctic auroras. A high-speed stream of solar wind following behind the CIR could cause G1-class geomagnetic storms on March 28th.
Springtime Cracks in Earth’s Magnetic Field
Today, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory is monitoring no fewer than six tall prominences.
A prominence is a large, bright, gaseous feature extending outward from the Sun's surface, often in a loop shape. Prominences are anchored to the Sun's surface in the photosphere, and extend outwards into the Sun's corona.
While the corona consists of extremely hot ionized gases, known as plasma, which do not emit much visible light, prominences contain much cooler plasma, similar in composition to that of the chromosphere. The prominence plasma is typically a hundred times more luminous and denser than the coronal plasma.
Clips, images credit: NASA/SDO, Tor Even Mathisen, spaceweather.com
Music credit: YouTube Audio Library
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