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Caramelized Shallots

6 months ago • •

Caramelized Shallots
6 months ago • •

Updated post with complete graphic

Graphic describing colors of aurora

1. Solar Wind which contains charged particles interacts with the earth's magnetic field.
2. This interaction traps charged particles at the north and south poles
3. The charged particles react with gasses in the atmosphere and produce excited and ionized gasses. The color or the light emitted during the reaction depends on the type of gas involved.

Red: Excited atomic oxygen at high altitudes --Above 150 miles or 241.4km. Only visible under intense solar activity due to low concentration of oxygen at high altitudes.

Green: Excited atomic oxygen at lower altitudes --Up to 150 miles or 241.4 kmGreen light is emitted instead of red due to higher concentration of oxygen.

Purple and blue: lonized molecular nitrogen. The reaction involve molecular nitrogen because atomic oxygen is uncommon at low altitudes. Similar to red, blue and purple are associated with intense solar activity
Purple: Above 60 miles or 96.6 km
Blue: Up to 60 miles or 96.6 km

Source:
Canadian Space Agency, The colours of the Northern Lights
Aurora Zone, Why are the Northern Lights sometimes coloured differently
Space.com, Northern Lights:What causes the aurora borealis and where to see it
Northern Light Center, Canada, Northern Lights

Made by alienyrox

#aurora

This entry was edited (6 months ago)

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