The document summarizes what causes the aurora phenomenon. Solar winds from the sun interact with Earth's magnetic field, energizing particles in our atmosphere like oxygen and nitrogen. This interaction produces the dancing colored lights known as the northern and southern lights. The aurora is more likely to be seen at high latitudes near the poles, and its appearance follows the 11-year solar cycle as solar activity waxes and wanes.

1. Physics P.A.
(2011-2012)Term 2
The Aurora and Atomic Physics
By Hind Hayder Oleish
Grade 11G

2. What is the Aurora?
• A natural light display seen in the sky of high
latitudes. It is known around Northern latitudes as
Northern lights or Aurora Borealis , and around
southern latitudes as Southern lights or Aurora
Australis .

3. Where does it originate?
The Sun:
A glowing sphere of hot gas and mostly
plasma.
• The Third state of matter.
Gas
Heated
Plasma Partially
ionized
gas

5. The Sun’s energy
Convection cell:
circulation of hot and
cool plasma.
Outer
atmosphere.
Energy from
nuclear
fusion

7. • Slow Solar wind
From
Equator
N
S
• Fast Solar wind
From Coronal
holes
( open field lines)
Ejected Plasma Solar Wind

8. Sun-Earth Connection
• After about 4 days , solar wind reaches Earth.
• It affects Earth’s magnetic field, changing its
shape:

10. What produces the dancing lights?
Oxygen
Nitrogen

12. When can you see the Aurora?
• It is known to appear every 11 years,
according to the sunspot cycle.
Greenland
Canada
Norway
Antarctica
New
Zealand
Australia

13. Sources:
• http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/themis/au
roras/sun_earth_connect.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_(astrono
my)
• http://www.northernlightscentre.ca/northernli
ghts.html