UC San Diego Physicists See Solar Electrons, Auroras Associated with Recent Geomagnetic Storms.

Byline: University of California, San Diego

LA JOLLA, Calif., Dec. 10 (AScribe Newswire) -- Using an orbiting camera designed to block the light from the sun and stars, an international team of solar physicists has been able for the first time to directly image clouds of electrons surrounding Earth that travel from the sun during periods of solar flare activity.

These electron clouds, a part of the solar atmosphere that extends millions of miles from the sun, cause geomagnetic storms that can disrupt communications satellites, expose high-flying aircraft to excess radiation and even damage ground-based power-generating facilities.

The images taken by …