{
  "id": 19000444,
  "title": "How space weather powers auroras in the sky and threatens power grids on the ground",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/how-space-weather-powers-auroras-in-the-sky-and-threatens-power-grids",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-08T19:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-11-space-weather-powers-auroras-sky.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Auroras, nature's breathtaking light displays, appear as curtains of green or red rippling across the night sky. While they may seem disconnected from events on Earth's surface, they are deeply intertwined with space weather - fluctuations in Earth's space environment caused by solar activity. Space physicists aim to comprehend how space weather impacts infrastructure on Earth, and their research reveals that a phenomenon known as a substorm can trigger disruptions within minutes of occurring tens of thousands of miles away.\n\nA substorm is a release of energy from the sun, which, when it reaches Earth, interacts with our planet's magnetosphere. This magnetosphere is the region of space surrounding Earth, dominated by its magnetic field. When a coronal mass ejection, a large eruption of charged particles and magnetic fields from the sun, reaches Earth, it can initiate a series of events that threaten power grids.\n\nThe magnetotail, a long region of stretched magnetic field lines extending far out into space behind Earth, forms as the solar wind carries these connected field lines around the planet away from the sun. Stored energy is released in a substorm, occurring on Earth's night side roughly 28,000 to 40,000 miles from our planet. Energetic particles shoot along the magnetic field lines toward Earth, colliding with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the upper atmosphere and generating the aurora.\n\nSimultaneously, these particles drive strong electrical currents in Earth's upper atmosphere. Rapid changes in these currents can cause sharp shifts in Earth's magnetic field at ground level, potentially damaging transformers and tripping circuit breakers. Observations of two auroral events, using NASA spacecraft data and a network of magnetometers across Arctic Canada, revealed a clear sequence: the sudden reconnection of stretched magnetic field lines caused an abrupt change in the magnetic field and a burst of charged particles moving toward Earth. Ground disturbances followed within minutes.\n\nHowever, the aurora and ground disturbance are not evenly distributed; they begin at lower latitudes and spread toward the North Pole over 20 to 30 minutes. Nearby stations often record different responses, depending on local conditions such as the conductivity of the upper atmosphere and the ground beneath the magnetic station. This variability is influenced by sunlight, auroral activity, and the local geology and moisture levels. Despite the beauty of an aurora, space weather poses real risks to both space and ground infrastructure. The 1989 geomagnetic storm caused the collapse of Hydro-Québec's power system, leaving over 6 million people without electricity for nearly nine hours.",
  "summary": "An aurora is one of nature's most spectacular light shows: It looks like green or red curtains rippling across the night sky. When viewed from the ground, this colorful display might seem far away and disconnected from anything happening on Earth's surface.",
  "key_points": [
    "Substorm releases solar energy, triggering auroras and power grid threats",
    "Magnetotail forms behind Earth, releasing energy in substorms",
    "Ground disturbances follow auroras within minutes, potentially damaging infrastructure"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}