
The moon exerts a previously unknown tidal force on the "plasma ocean" surrounding Earth's upper atmosphere, creating fluctuations that are similar to the tides in the oceans, a new study suggests.
In the study, published Jan. 26 in the journal Nature Physics, scientists used more than 40 years of data collected by satellites to track the minute changes in the shape of the plasmasphere, the inner region of Earth's magnetosphere, which shields our planet from solar storms and other types of high-energy particles.
The plasmasphere is a roughly doughnut-shaped blob of cool plasma that sits on top of Earth's magnetic field lines, just above the ionosphere, the electrically charged part of the upper atmosphere. The plasma, or ionized gas, in the plasmasphere is denser than the plasma in the outer regions of the magnetosphere, which causes it to sink to the bottom of the magnetosphere. The boundary between this dense sunken plasma and the rest of the magnetosphere is known as the plasmapause.
"Given its cold, dense plasma properties, the plasmasphere can be regarded as a 'plasma ocean,' and the plasmapause represents the 'surface' of this ocean," the researchers wrote in the paper. The moon's gravitational pull can distort this "ocean," causing its surface to rise and fall like the ocean tides.
The moon is already known to exert tidal forces on Earth's oceans, crust, near-ground geomagnetic field and the gas within the lower atmosphere. However, until now, nobody had tested to see if there was a tidal effect on the plasmasphere.
To investigate this question, the researchers analyzed data from more than 50,000 crossings of the plasmasphere by satellites belonging to 10 scientific missions, including NASA's Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) mission. The satellites' sensors are capable of detecting minute changes in the concentrations of plasma, which allowed the team to map out the exact boundary of the plasmapause in greater detail than ever before.
The satellite crossings occurred between 1977 and 2015, and during this period, there were four complete solar cycles. This information allowed the team to factor in the role of solar activity on Earth's magnetosphere. Once the sun's influence was accounted for, it started to become clear that fluctuations in the shape of the plasmapause followed daily and monthly patterns that were very similar to the ocean's tides, indicating that the moon was the most likely cause of the plasma tides.
The researchers are unsure exactly how the moon causes the plasma tides, but their current best guess is that the moon's gravity causes perturbations in Earth's electromagnetic field. But further research is needed to tell for sure.
The team thinks this previously unknown interaction between Earth and the moon could help researchers understand other parts of the magnetosphere in greater detail, such as the Van Allen radiation belts, which capture highly energetic particles from solar wind and trap them in the outer magnetosphere.
"We suspect that the observed plasma tide may subtly affect the distribution of energetic radiation belt particles, which are a well-known hazard to space-based infrastructure and human activities in space," the researchers wrote. Better understanding the tides could therefore help to improve work in these areas, they added.
The researchers also want to see if plasma in the magnetospheres of other planets is influenced by those planets' moons. "These findings may have implications for tidal interactions in other two-body celestial systems," they wrote.
Reader Comments
Is Earth really an Electric Magento generator powered by the Sun & Moon ?
Sun & Moon weren’t available for comment.
Some really old Asian guy said something to that effect.
I thought the map showing the flow & dates were interesting
From somewhere deep inside of me a question hovers, was agriculture a good thing?
Zcience of Agriculture was not kept in check (they deliberately let the evil genie/jinn out of the bottle) with NODES of development of herbicides/pesticides/GMO’s Frankenfoods/Chemtrails which destroy & alter the NATURAL mother earth’s soil biomes (with Aluminum/Barium/Strontium etc. thus altering & damaging our digestive system/endocrine/nervous Immune system & health in that process) regarding human health ramifications plus an Anarchy-Tyranny managerial government (aka Deep State) for GREED/PROFIT/CONTROL is the problem.
Whereas, it should always human be health first. Not profits or Technology over human health. The term anarcho-tyranny, on its face, is an oxymoron, a glaring contradiction. Indeed, it’s the biggest possible contradiction of political system descriptors, as anarchy and tyranny occupy diametrically opposite ends of the government force continuum. A concept where the state is more interested in controlling citizens so that they don’t oppose managerial class, rather than tending to real criminals. Laws are argued to be enforced selectively depending on what is beneficial to the ruling elite.”
An example would be the WHO/WEF/CDC/CIA are a fascist anarchy-tyrannical entity of unelected have no authority in reality (yes as in blind authority/turn a blind eye) as we just witnessed with the whole Live Exercise scam they pulled called a hoodwink/hoax/con job etc.
Mike Pompeo was CIA & remember Drumpf appointed him.
“We are in a Live Exercise”[Link] (cue it to about 1:30) That is called method of revelation & you’ll notice not too many people are even questioning what really just happened.
He clearly tells us (at least those who listen) [Link]
Stupefying ignorance on so many levels.
Ive found ancient accounts of the sun rising in the West, setting in the east.
Now, bear with me
If the earth is "rotating" or spinning the wrong way, what would the moon do if we "spun" the other way?
What types of electromagnetic or gravitational forces would occur?
Dimensional doors unlocked?
Wormholes?
The interconnection of all universal "highways"?
The moon appears the same size as the sun when viewed from earth
Solar eclipses look like "doorways" opening an closing
What if just the poles Arent effected by the approaching "gravity well"
What if we start spinning clockwise
Fun to ponder
I will spin counterclockwise (like earth) until im dizzy. Then spin clockwise to see if i get "undizzy"
I may just earn a nobel peace prize or sciences highest accolades
Anyway, have fun, and do keep us posted.