Science
New research into a strange atmospheric effect known as STEVE has failed to associate its enigmatic lights with aurora, pointing to the presence of an entirely new type of atmospheric phenomenon.
Scientists started to look into these strange lights just a few years ago after people began to post images to a Facebook group called the Alberta Aurora Chasers. These lights have the outward appearance of conventional auroras, but instead of vast sheets blanketing the night sky, these lights are narrow in scope, appearing as colorful ribbons. The phenomenon was given a silly name, STEVE, or Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement, but the presence of these lights is now the subject of serious scientific scrutiny.
The latest research, published this week in Geophysical Research Letters, shows that STEVE, as an atmospheric process, is distinct from auroras. Unsatisfied with the placeholder name, the researchers, led by Bea Gallardo-Lacourt from the University of Calgary, have proposed the term “skyglow” to describe the previously undocumented phenomenon.
No comments:
Post a Comment