A team of researchers from the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading, in the United Kingdom, has found that the very energetic particles emanating from our star may be related to the formation of storms on Earth and cause some of the lightning that we observe when these take place.
In an article published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, these scientists indicate that the number of rays and their magnitude increase markedly after our planet is hit by the solar wind. This seems to be demonstrated by a detailed study of the evolution of storms in Europe during the 40 days that occur to one of these phenomena. The mechanism that causes it is unclear. However, and although the Earth's magnetic field tends to deflect charged particles, experts suggest that, on certain occasions, when they collide with the atmosphere, the electrical properties of the air are altered in some way.
" We know that the Sun rotates every 27 days, so our planet receives a bath of these particles with some regularity, " says Chris Scott, professor of space and atmospheric physics, who has coordinated the research. The evolution of these emanations are studied by different satellites. "In this way, this information could be used to improve weather forecasts , even in the long term," he says.
