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Some Auroral Glow is Polarized

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WASHINGTON, April 29, 2008 -- An international team of scientists has detected that some of the glow of Earth's aurora is polarized, an unexpected state for such emissions. Measurements of this newfound polarization in the northern lights may provide scientists with fresh insights into the composition of Earth's upper atmosphere, the configuration of its magnetic field, and the energies of particles from the sun, the researchers said. If observed on other planets, the phenomenon might also give clues to the shape of the sun's magnetic field as it curls around other bodies in the solar system. Two colors -- green...Read full article

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    Published: April 2008
    Glossary
    aurora
    The strongest light emitted by the Earth's upper atmosphere. It most often can be viewed in the Arctic as the aurora borealis, and in the Antarctic as the aurora australis.
    light
    Electromagnetic radiation detectable by the eye, ranging in wavelength from about 400 to 750 nm. In photonic applications light can be considered to cover the nonvisible portion of the spectrum which includes the ultraviolet and the infrared.
    photonics
    The technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. The science includes light emission, transmission, deflection, amplification and detection by optical components and instruments, lasers and other light sources, fiber optics, electro-optical instrumentation, related hardware and electronics, and sophisticated systems. The range of applications of photonics extends from energy generation to detection to communications and...
    polar
    Depicting one of the two ends of an axis of rotation.
    telescope
    An afocal optical device made up of lenses or mirrors, usually with a magnification greater than unity, that renders distant objects more distinct, by enlarging their images on the retina.
    AGUatmosphereatomsauroraaurora borealisauroralBasic ScienceEarthenergyJean LilenstenLaboratory of Planetologylightmagnetic fieldmagnetic polesmissionsmoleculesNews & Featuresnorthern lightsphotonicsplanetologypolarpolarizedRobert Duncansolar systemSuntelescope

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