Tags: GPS, European Space Agency, Radiation, Magnetic Field
Publication: PlanetSave.com
Publication Date: 11/02/2012

ESA’s simulation of plasma whirlpools witnessed by the Cluster mission in the Earth’s magnetosphere. Image credit: ESA

An European Space Agency’s (ESA) study from its Cluster satellite mission indicates that the magnetic field – or magnetosphere – that protects life on Earth from the Sun’s excess radiation, regularly experiences harmful “breaches.”

ESA’s Cluster mission involves four satellites that orbit the Earth through the magnetosphere measuring changes in our planet’s electric and magnetic fields caused by the sun’s fluctuating solar winds. Analysis from Cluster’s data detected large vortices of solar plasma arising as solar wind made contact with the magnetosphere creating whirlpools of a sort. Known as the Kelvin-Helmholtz waves (KHW), these whirlpools looks similar to our ocean waves.

These plasma waves have the power to suddenly break apart magnetic field lines, which creates breaches in Earth’s protective magnetic field allowing solar particles to pass at different locations and under different conditions.

Strong explosions of charged particles from solar wind can cause disruptions in GPS and radio satellite communications, and even power grids on Earth.

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