For Raydar - Storm Warning

[Glen]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Breaking-New ... 82019.html


You probably already know Raydar, but others may be interested, a major geomagnetic storm is predicted over the next two nights with a spectacular light display.

ps Raydar, can you explain what a geomagnetic storm is? Magnets flying everywhere with bits of dirt?

[MHD]

I could probably do that.

Charged particles tend to travel along magnetic field lines. As these particles make collsions with neutral particles in the atmosphere they excite aromic transitions from which you can see the light when the atoms de-excite. Now usually this light is only intense enough to see near the poles where the magnetic field lines bunch together as they meet the earth, however, some times solar activity causes massive amounts of charges particles to be thrown off, these CME's (coronal mass ejections) some times hit the earth, injecting a lage amount of charged particles into the magnetosphere, pushing the Aurora's further south and north, as well as other, less desireable effects (The induction of a lage circumfrential current has been know to couple to electricty grids blowing transformers)

[Glen]

Thank you MHD, great explanation because I could actually understand it.
(well except the last line, maybe needs an "e" to make it circumferential and lage needs an "r" to make it lager )
obviously still in thesis mode, appreciate you taking the time to explain this to me

[MHD]

lager? I could go one of them!

[Greg B]

Aw geez MHD, that's just what I was going to say

(The geo magnetic thingy explanation I mean, not the lager comment)

[Raydar]

Thanks MHD for explaining that, because I had no idea
Interesting though.

We had a big one here yesterday, me being still sick had radar duties; just as well the two blokes I go chasing with got court in the core & sustained a heap of damage to the car from 8-10cm hail.

Cheers
Ray

[goodrich62]

If this is what we call the Northern Lights or Arora Borialus on the upside of the equator thats a heck of a sight.
Don't get them in my current habitate but saw them a few times in winter in the north woods alas without a camara
Please forgive the spelling I studied computer sience and without spell check I'm dead meat.

[Glen]

Raydar, probably lucky you didn't go, it might have been the $8,000 photo after paying for car repairs