This illustration visualizes the form of the space hurricane observed in 2014 satellite data.
Qing-He Zhang/Shandong University
Somebody call up the SyFy channel, we’re going to need a whole series of Spacenado movies now.
This week, a team of researchers unveiled the results of a study that highlights the first-ever observation of a space hurricane in our planet’s upper atmosphere. Unlike the infamous cyclones that wreak havoc closer to Earth’s surface, the space hurricane was made up of swirling plasma and “rained” electrons.
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“Until now, it was uncertain that space plasma hurricanes even existed, so to prove this with such a striking observation is incredible,” University of Reading space scientist Mike Lockwood said in a statement Monday. Lockwood is co-author of a paper on the phenomenon published in the journal Nature Communications in late February.
Scientists discovered the event after reanalyzing data collected by satellites in August 2014. Researchers at Shandong University in China led the team that made the discovery. The data showed a 620-mile-wide (1,000-kilometer) plasma mass swirling above the North Pole. It had spiral arms and lasted for nearly eight hours.
Plasma is a hot area of study. NASA, which has investigated plasma space tornadoes, describes space plasma as “charged particles, like electrons and ions.” These particles shoot through space and can cause issues for satellites and astronauts. The space agency was also behind a 2019 paper on “plasma tsunamis” on the sun.
Lockwood pointed to an “unusually large and rapid transfer of solar wind energy and charged particles into the Earth’s upper atmosphere” as what fed the space hurricane. The existence of at least one known space hurricane under these circumstances suggests they might be common in the atmospheres of other planets.
Understanding Earth’s very own space hurricane could help scientists gain a deeper understanding of space weather and how it can impact systems we rely on, like GPS. As a bonus, it just sounds cool to say “space hurricane.”
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Scientists say they have confirmed the existence of space hurricanes after analysing a 1,000km-wide swirling mass of plasma spotted hundreds of kilometres above the North Pole.
The space hurricane, observed by satellites in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, was raining electrons instead of water. It spun in an anticlockwise direction and lasted nearly eight hours before breaking down.
These events would be expected to lead to important space weather effects and disruption to GPS systems, scientists found.
The observed hurricane, which occurred during a period of low geomagnetic activity in 2014, could be one of many happening within our Solar System and beyond.
More discoveries within our solar system:
A team of scientists, led by Shandong University in China, analysed observations made by satellites in August 2014 and created a 3D image of the hurricane in the Earth’s ionosphere.
The findings, which were published in Nature Communications, confirmed the existence of space hurricanes, which had not been detected before. They also reproduced the event’s main features and explained its formation.
Professor Mike Lockwood, space scientist at the University of Reading, said the hurricanes could be a universal phenomenon at planets and moons with magnetic fields and plasma.
“Until now, it was uncertain that space plasma hurricanes even existed,” said Lockwood. “So to prove this with such a striking observation is incredible.
“Tropical storms are associated with huge amounts of energy, and these space hurricanes must be created by unusually large and rapid transfer of solar wind energy and charged particles into the Earth’s upper atmosphere.
“Plasma and magnetic fields in the atmosphere of planets exist throughout the Universe, so the findings suggest space hurricanes should be a widespread phenomenon.”
The space hurricane was found to share many features with hurricanes in the Earth’s lower atmosphere, including a quiet centre, multiple spiral arms and widespread circulation.
The scientists said the hurricanes open a rapid energy transfer channel from space to the ionosphere and thermosphere and would be expected to lead to important space weather effects such as increased satellite drag, disturbances in high frequency radio communications and increased errors in over-the-horizon radar location, satellite navigation and communication systems.
The team said the process may also be important for the interaction between interstellar winds and other solar systems throughout the Universe.
Reader Q&A: Can planes be used to stop hurricanes?
Asked by: Anonymous
Hurricanes can cause hundreds of deaths and billions of pounds’ worth of damage. But scientists at the University of Akron in Ohio have patented a possible way of dealing with them. Their plan involves flying jet fighters into the eye of the storm to disrupt the delicate airflow and pressure causing the ferocious winds.
The Supersonic Hurricane Neutraliser plan is still on the drawing board, but in theory it would work something like this: two F-4 jet fighters, flying at a speed of Mach 1.5, would fly into the hurricane’s eye – the calm part at the centre of the storm. The sonic boom produced by the jets would raise the air pressure inside the eye, which would disrupt the upward flow of warm air that gives the storm its power, thus bringing the storm to an end.
Trials are planned which it is hoped could show that only one jet fighter is needed to disrupt a storm. Now all they have to do is find some pilots prepared to make the flight.
A space hurricane swirling high above the North Pole has been observed by scientists for the first time, offering an initial glimpse at a phenomenon scientists believe could be possible in planets across the universe.
The vast hurricane was spotted by a team of scientists led by China’s Shandong University, which analysed satellite observations made in August 2014 to construct a 3D image of the phenomenon in Earth’s ionosphere, where the planet’s atmosphere meets the void of space.
What they found was a swirling mass of plasma that behaved much like the wind-based weather phenomenon seen on Earth. But unlike the hurricanes observable on the face of the planet, the space equivalent rained electrons instead of water.
The space hurricane, which spread out across 1,000km above the North Pole, turned anticlockwise much like earthbound hurricanes in the northern hemisphere, and lasted for nearly eight hours until it ultimately broke down.
It was found to have a quiet centre, like its earthly counterparts, as well as multiple spiral arms and widespread circulation.
Such hurricanes are expected to be responsible for important effects on space weather effects such as increased satellite drag, disturbances in high frequency radio communications, and increased errors in over-the-horizon radar location, satellite navigation and communication systems.
According to a study published in the journal Nature Communications, the process may also be important for the interaction between interstellar winds and other solar systems throughout the universe.
Space weather has been a particular focus of research since the 1950s due to the advent of satellite technology, with the first solar winds – or the flow of charged particles from the sun through the solar system – observed towards the end of the decade.
Scientists believe space hurricanes may also occur near other planets and moons with magnetic fields and plasma – the state of matter in which a gas becomes so hot its atoms are split into independently moving electrons and ions, making them easily influenced by forces like the push and pull of the earth’s magnetism.
Professor Mike Lockwood, professor of space environment Physics at the University of Reading, said: “Until now, it was uncertain that space plasma hurricanes even existed, so to prove this with such a striking observation is incredible.
“Tropical storms are associated with huge amounts of energy, and these space hurricanes must be created by unusually large and rapid transfer of solar wind energy and charged particles into the Earth’s upper atmosphere.
“Plasma and magnetic fields in the atmosphere of planets exist throughout the universe, so the findings suggest space hurricanes should be a widespread phenomena.”
While a recent dip in COVID-19 infections may seem encouraging, experts warn now is not the time for Americans to let their guard down.That’s largely because of new variants circulating in the U.S., putting the country once again in the “eye of the hurricane,” according to one expert.”I’ve been on Zoom calls for the last two weeks about how we’re going to manage this,” Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, told CNN Sunday. “The big wall is about to hit us again and these are the new variants.”Nearly 700 cases of COVID-19 variants first spotted in the UK, South Africa and Brazil have been reported in the U.S. so far, according to data updated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The vast majority of those cases are the B.1.1.7 strain, which was first detected in the UK and has now been spotted in at least 33 states. Experts say the highly contagious variant will likely soon become dominant in the U.S., and a new study found significant community transmission may already be occurring.”This could be really, very dire for our country as we head into the spring,” Hotez said of the variants. “Now, we’re in a race. We’re in a race to see how quickly we can vaccinate the American people.”On Sunday, the U.S. surpassed 27 million reported infections, according to Johns Hopkins University data. More than 31 million Americans have so far received at least their first dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, according to CDC data, as officials work to ramp up vaccinations across the country. More than 9 million people have so far received both doses of a vaccine, according to the data.And a third vaccine could be on its way to the U.S. market soon: Johnson & Johnson asked the Food and Drug Administration for an emergency use authorization of its vaccine last week.What we know about variants and vaccinesBut COVID-19 variants have also complicated things for some vaccines. Here’s what we do know.Health experts continue to encourage Americans to get vaccinated as soon as they can. Research published last month offered reassuring evidence that people who are vaccinated against the virus will also likely be protected against emerging new variants.Moderna previously said two doses of its vaccine are expected to protect against variants first detected in the UK and South Africa, but added it was planning to test booster shots out of an abundance of caution. Pfizer also said last month it was “laying the groundwork” to create vaccine boosters if a variant “shows evidence of escaping immunity by our vaccine.”Meanwhile, health officials in South Africa said Sunday they’re pausing the country’s rollout of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine after a study showed it offered reduced protection from the variant first identified there.Early data released Sunday suggested two doses of the vaccine provided only “minimal protection” against mild and moderate COVID-19 from the variant. The vaccine’s efficacy against severe COVID-19, hospitalization and death were not assessed.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An AstraZeneca spokesperson said in a statement, “We do believe our vaccine will still protect against severe disease” from the variant and added that “neutralising antibody activity is equivalent to other COVID-19 vaccines that have demonstrated activity against more severe disease, particularly when the dosing interval is optimised to 8-12 weeks.”Concerns over Super Bowl partiesOfficials have continued to remind Americans it’s not just vaccines that will play a role in helping slow the pandemic in the coming months. It’s also the public health measures that have proved effective in curbing the spread of the virus: masks, social distancing, avoiding gatherings and regular hand washing.But some opted to leave those suggestions at home over the weekend ahead of and following the Super Bowl. Images emerged out of Tampa, Florida, of crowded streets and venues as well as events with mask-less attendees and parties hosted by celebrities.”I’m extremely concerned,” Dr. Melissa Clarke, a member of the District of Columbia’s advisory committee on vaccine distribution, told CNN Sunday. “Now, we’re facing the issues not just of Super Bowl parties, but the fact that it’s going to be spring soon and spring fever is going to set in and people that have been caged up in their homes all winter are going to want to get out.””I would caution everybody: please remember to continue to practice those behaviors and not get Covid fatigue,” Clarke added. “Continue to mask, continue to distance, continue to avoid crowds.”What it will take to reopen schoolsMitigation measures will play an especially key role in helping schools safely reopen, two officials said Sunday, as the CDC is expected to soon release guidelines on how schools can open during the pandemic.Schools’ safe reopening is “a simple question but with a complicated answer, because it really depends on the level of infection in the community,” Dr. Anthony Fauci told NBC on Sunday.For one, communities should work to get teachers quickly vaccinated, Fauci said. And there should also be a focus on getting schools what they need to reopen, including masks and proper ventilation, among other measures.Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner, told CBS that when it comes to reopening schools, “the prerequisite is putting in place mitigation steps in the schools.”He noted that when people wore masks and stayed socially distant, there was “very little transmission within the classroom.”And while it would be good to prioritize teachers for vaccines, he said, “I don’t think it’s necessarily a prerequisite. I think schools have demonstrated that they can open safely if they’ve taken precautions in the classroom.”Their recommendation comes amid an ongoing struggle in many parts of the country on how to safely resume classes.Announcements on tentative agreements paving a path back to in-person instruction came out of San Francisco and Chicago Sunday, where officials have been at odds with school employees on what the best approach for a return is.
While a recent dip in COVID-19 infections may seem encouraging, experts warn now is not the time for Americans to let their guard down.
That’s largely because of new variants circulating in the U.S., putting the country once again in the “eye of the hurricane,” according to one expert.
“I’ve been on Zoom calls for the last two weeks about how we’re going to manage this,” Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, told CNN Sunday. “The big wall is about to hit us again and these are the new variants.”
Nearly 700 cases of COVID-19 variants first spotted in the UK, South Africa and Brazil have been reported in the U.S. so far, according to data updated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The vast majority of those cases are the B.1.1.7 strain, which was first detected in the UK and has now been spotted in at least 33 states. Experts say the highly contagious variant will likely soon become dominant in the U.S., and a new study found significant community transmission may already be occurring.
“This could be really, very dire for our country as we head into the spring,” Hotez said of the variants. “Now, we’re in a race. We’re in a race to see how quickly we can vaccinate the American people.”
On Sunday, the U.S. surpassed 27 million reported infections, according to Johns Hopkins University data. More than 31 million Americans have so far received at least their first dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, according to CDC data, as officials work to ramp up vaccinations across the country. More than 9 million people have so far received both doses of a vaccine, according to the data.
And a third vaccine could be on its way to the U.S. market soon: Johnson & Johnson asked the Food and Drug Administration for an emergency use authorization of its vaccine last week.
What we know about variants and vaccines
But COVID-19 variants have also complicated things for some vaccines. Here’s what we do know.
Health experts continue to encourage Americans to get vaccinated as soon as they can. Research published last month offered reassuring evidence that people who are vaccinated against the virus will also likely be protected against emerging new variants.
Moderna previously said two doses of its vaccine are expected to protect against variants first detected in the UK and South Africa, but added it was planning to test booster shots out of an abundance of caution. Pfizer also said last month it was “laying the groundwork” to create vaccine boosters if a variant “shows evidence of escaping immunity by our vaccine.”
Meanwhile, health officials in South Africa said Sunday they’re pausing the country’s rollout of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine after a study showed it offered reduced protection from the variant first identified there.
Early data released Sunday suggested two doses of the vaccine provided only “minimal protection” against mild and moderate COVID-19 from the variant. The vaccine’s efficacy against severe COVID-19, hospitalization and death were not assessed.
An AstraZeneca spokesperson said in a statement, “We do believe our vaccine will still protect against severe disease” from the variant and added that “neutralising antibody activity is equivalent to other COVID-19 vaccines that have demonstrated activity against more severe disease, particularly when the dosing interval is optimised to 8-12 weeks.”
Concerns over Super Bowl parties
Officials have continued to remind Americans it’s not just vaccines that will play a role in helping slow the pandemic in the coming months. It’s also the public health measures that have proved effective in curbing the spread of the virus: masks, social distancing, avoiding gatherings and regular hand washing.
But some opted to leave those suggestions at home over the weekend ahead of and following the Super Bowl. Images emerged out of Tampa, Florida, of crowded streets and venues as well as events with mask-less attendees and parties hosted by celebrities.
“I’m extremely concerned,” Dr. Melissa Clarke, a member of the District of Columbia’s advisory committee on vaccine distribution, told CNN Sunday. “Now, we’re facing the issues not just of Super Bowl parties, but the fact that it’s going to be spring soon and spring fever is going to set in and people that have been caged up in their homes all winter are going to want to get out.”
“I would caution everybody: please remember to continue to practice those behaviors and not get Covid fatigue,” Clarke added. “Continue to mask, continue to distance, continue to avoid crowds.”
What it will take to reopen schools
Mitigation measures will play an especially key role in helping schools safely reopen, two officials said Sunday, as the CDC is expected to soon release guidelines on how schools can open during the pandemic.
Schools’ safe reopening is “a simple question but with a complicated answer, because it really depends on the level of infection in the community,” Dr. Anthony Fauci told NBC on Sunday.
For one, communities should work to get teachers quickly vaccinated, Fauci said. And there should also be a focus on getting schools what they need to reopen, including masks and proper ventilation, among other measures.
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner, told CBS that when it comes to reopening schools, “the prerequisite is putting in place mitigation steps in the schools.”
He noted that when people wore masks and stayed socially distant, there was “very little transmission within the classroom.”
And while it would be good to prioritize teachers for vaccines, he said, “I don’t think it’s necessarily a prerequisite. I think schools have demonstrated that they can open safely if they’ve taken precautions in the classroom.”
Their recommendation comes amid an ongoing struggle in many parts of the country on how to safely resume classes.
Announcements on tentative agreements paving a path back to in-person instruction came out of San Francisco and Chicago Sunday, where officials have been at odds with school employees on what the best approach for a return is.