Termosfääritingillä

Termosfääritingillä refers to auroral displays that occur in the thermosphere. The thermosphere is the layer of Earth's atmosphere located above the mesosphere and below the exosphere. It extends from about 80 kilometers to 1,000 kilometers above sea level. This region is characterized by extremely high temperatures, which increase with altitude due to the absorption of highly energetic solar radiation.

Auroras, commonly known as the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Lights (Aurora Australis) in the Southern Hemisphere, are natural light displays in Earth's sky. They are predominantly seen in high-latitude regions. The phenomenon of termosfääritingillä specifically describes the visual manifestation of auroral activity occurring within the thermosphere.

The process begins with charged particles, primarily electrons and protons, emitted from the Sun in the form of solar wind. When these particles approach Earth, they are guided by the planet's magnetic field towards the polar regions. As these energetic particles enter the upper atmosphere, they collide with atoms and molecules of gases like oxygen and nitrogen. These collisions excite the atmospheric gases, causing them to emit light. The specific colors of the aurora depend on the type of gas molecule and the altitude at which the collision occurs. Green and pink are common colors, produced by oxygen at different altitudes, while nitrogen can contribute blue and red hues. The thermosphere's relatively thin but reactive atmosphere is the primary stage for these energetic interactions, hence the term termosfääritingillä.