NASA | Top Solar Discoveries: #3

The Thermos satellite fleet, launched in 2007, aimed to study triggers of substorms and atmospheric events like the Aurora borealis. A notable substorm in March 2008 revealed auroras with energy comparable to a moderate earthquake. NASA discovered that giant magnetic ropes, as wide as Earth, serve as conduits for solar wind particles, connecting the sun to Earth's upper atmosphere. These ropes, when formed and unraveled, ignite Earth's magnetic field, creating captivating auroras in the northern sky.

What was the primary mission of the Thermos satellite fleet launched in 2007?

• To explore the depths of the ocean

• To investigate substorms and atmospheric events

• To study the surface of Mars

• To monitor global warming

What significant event occurred in March 2008 related to auroras?

• A meteor shower

• A lightning fast Aurora with the energy of a moderate earthquake

• A volcanic eruption

• A solar eclipse

What did NASA scientists discover as the cause of the mysterious behavior and energy in auroras?

• Dark matter

• Black holes

• Giant magnetic ropes

• Gravitational waves

How do the giant magnetic ropes affect the Earth's magnetic field?

• They have no effect

• They reverse its polarity

• They ignite it, causing auroras

• They weaken it

What is the visual result of the interaction between solar winds and Earth's magnetic field?

• A thunderstorm

• A lunar eclipse

• A solar flare

• A celestial dance of auroras