Auroral Displays

The aurora occurs along ring shaped regions around the north and south geomagnetic poles. The intensity of the displays vary from night to night and throughout each night.

An intense auroral display can cause many problems on the ground, such as intense electric currents along electric power lines (causing blackouts) and oil pipelines (enhancing corrosion). The aurora can disturb the ionosphere and disrupt short wave communication. Auroral discharge electrons have even damaged the electronics and solar panels of communications and meteorological satellites, rendering them inoperable.

Because of this, a major cooperative research program, the National Space Weather Program, studies these effects in an attempt to improve the prediction of intense auroral disturbances.