This is an explanation of how things are – and the explanation is the opposite of what our research has believed before, ” says Nikolai Østgaard, professor and head of Birkelandsenteret for space research, to Dagbladet.

The Norwegian research centre, which is under the University of Bergen (UiB), has recently published what can be characterized as a sensational discovery – an explanation of why the northern lights and the southern lights are not mirror versions of each other.

light show: the northern lights can be a spectacular sight. Here from Skagsanden in the Lofoten islands. Photo: Mumemories / Shutterstock / NTB Scanpix Show more Partikkelkollisjon

Large parts of Norway is blessed with good conditions for seeing the northern lights (aurora borealis), which meanders spectacularly across the night sky. In the southern hemisphere are similar, the southern lights (aurora australis), but far fewer get to see it, since it mostly occurs over Antarctica.

Northern and southern hemispheres (common name aurora polaris) has the same origin. Lysshowet due to the fact that large amounts of charged particles sent out from the sun and collide with gases in the earth’s atmosphere; during the collision is released electromagnetic radiation, bl.a. visible light.

COLLISION: the Illustration shows the solvind as hitting and affects the earth’s magnetic field, which extends between the magnetic north and south pole. Illustration: koya979 / Shutterstock / NTB Scanpix Show more

the Earth is a giant magnet, and the light extends between the magnetic poles in the north and the south, along the feltlinjene in the planet’s magnetic field, because solpartiklene follow the lines.

because of The symmetry of the feltlinjene over the poles went researchers a long time out from the north, and the other had to be mirror images of each other as regards the direction and distribution. But in 2009, scientists found by Birkelandsenteret out that the difference between the aurora in the north and south at the same time was strikingly different.

PROUD: Professor Nikolai Østgaard is very happy with that Birkelandsenterets research get international attention. Photo: University of Bergen Show more – Pretty sensational

Since, scientists have tried to find a plausible explanation of why this is so, and now has Birkelandsenteret published a report that is published in the prestigious Journal of Geophysical Research.

the Explanation is quite the opposite of what I and many other researchers have thought. Therefore, these results are quite sensational, ” says journal editor Mike Liemohn of the University of bergen.

the Mechanism works, is complicated, but the direction of the solar wind – partikkelstrømmen from the sun – plays a significant role.

ROM: A NASA astronaut shared recently, this video from The international space station (ISS), showing a spectacular and powerful northern lights dancing across the globe. Video: @Astro2fish/Twitter/CNNVis more Show more Show more

Because solvindens particles are electrically charged, causes the wind with a strong own magnetic field. When the wind hits earth’s magnetic field, particularly in a southerly direction, connecting the two fields together at the earth’s dagside and form new magnetfeltlinjer which extends out into a long tail on the planet’s nattside (magnetohalen).

Direction determines

until now, there has been a common opinion that this asymmetry between the north and the other occurs when feltlinjene in magnetohalen connect themselves together again on the nattsida of the earth, but Birkelandsenterets research now shows that the explanation lies in how solvindens magnetic field hits the earth’s field.

Foreigners might, in northern norway the northern lights

If solvindens field hit the earth in north-south direction – a relatively rare phenomenon – are auroraen pretty symmetrical. But if it hits in the east-west direction, it causes the new feltlinjene that is formed, is pinched, and the earth’s magnetic field will receive a slope – hence this asymmetry.

And further: the Mechanism by which the researchers thought causes this asymmetry – the link of feltlinjene in magnetohalen – turns out in fact to correct this asymmetry.

If this is hard to see, it is highly recommended to see Birkelandsenterets forklaringsvideo at the top of the article. the LEADER: Kristian Birkeland (1867 – 1917) called “the world’s first romforsker”. Photo: L. Szacinski / the Oslo museum Show more – Convenient

Our research has long known that solvindens magnetic field almost always hits the earth’s field in the east-west direction, but has not taken it all in. And as a convenience have you seen the north – and the other that is symmetrical, ” says professor Nikolai Østgaard.

Østgaard is very happy to have forskningsrapporten featured on hjemmesida to the American Geophysical Union – an organisation with around 60,000 members.

To be beaten up on the hjemmesida is huge, ” he says.

SOUTHERN lights: Only few people get to see the southern lights, because it mostly occurs over Antarctica. Here from a research station. Photo: Sergey 402 / Shutterstock / NTB Scanpix Show more

– Where the road goes on now?

– Now we will find out bl.a. how to push from the sun will vary – understand how omkalfatringene happening, why, and effects, says the professor.

Creates problems

Pål Brekke, senior researcher at the Norwegian space centre, explains why the Norwegian discovery is important.

– To understand the northern lights and the solar wind better is important because it tells us something about the link between the sun and the earth. It is the same processes that create problems for our technology, ” he says to Dagbladet.

IMPORTANT: It to understand the northern lights and the solar wind better have great importance in a variety of fields, ” says romforsker Pål Brekke. Photo: Kevin Schenk / Wikimedia Commons Show more

It is known that the strong solvind can cause a range of problems for human life. Amongst other navigation systems like GPS will be greatly affected because the satellites are knocked out, and because the strong current can be induced in the power lines, all power lines go out of service.

He recalls that romforskningspioneren Kristian Birkeland (1867-1917), which has given its name to the Birkelandsenteret, for over a hundred years ago made pioneering measurements with the magnetometer, which resulted in a better understanding of how the solar wind can affect the retningsmåling.

– The same measurements used today by the oil companies, so that they know in which direction to drill, ” says romforskeren.

Now have so many norwegians discovered the northern lights that eventselskapene in Tromsø must create new brochures – in English