May 11, 2024
The Friuli sky turns pink.
Last night the Friuli sky was colored pink, giving a show of colors and lights that are usually admired only in the northernmost latitudes of our planet. Around 9pm, the sunset light turned into a play of colors rich in shades suggestive which have gone from pink, to purple and red suggestive shades.
A phenomenon that goes by the name of SAR (Stable Auroral Red Arc), or Arco Aurorale Stabile Rosso. Unlike the classic red auroras, the SAR has a completely different nature and an equally unique origin. These red arcs form in the upper atmosphere, at an altitude exceeding 300-400 km, and are the result of the excitation of atomic oxygen. This phenomenon occurs within the Van Allen belts, a sort of donuts around the Earth dense with charged particles, held in position thanks to the Earth’s magnetic field.
But how exactly are these bright red arcs generated? The answer lies inand solar storms and in the interaction between material from the Sun and our magnetic field. When a significant influx of solar matter occurs, as occurred on this occasion, the Earth’s magnetic field is disturbed. This leads to a lowering of the altitude of the Van Allen belts, which come into contact with the Earth’s atmosphere. Here, they transfer thermal energy to the oxygen present, giving rise to the spectacular red arches that we had the privilege of admiring.
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