A scientist group has recently used data on electromagnetic (EM) waves and plasma particles recorded on various satellites to discover an "invisible path of propagation" of electromagnetic waves around the Earth.

What are electromagnetic waves?

Electromagnetic waves naturally occur in the Earth's geographical sphere, causing changes in the plasma environment that surrounds the globe through a physical process known as "wave-particle interaction."

Changes in the geographical space environment can sometimes damage spacecraft, expose astronauts to radiation, or disrupt electricity and energy networks on Earth, as electromagnetic waves become more active in conjunction with the occurrence of space storms caused by disturbances of the sun and solar wind.

The Japanese "Arase" aircraft, among others, uses several measurements to better understand the variations and differences in the plasma environment.

Where and how?

It is crucial to comprehend where electromagnetic waves are formed in space and how they travel in order to fully grasp the impacts of electromagnetic waves. However, using just single-point observation, it is difficult to decipher the origins of electromagnetic waves and their complex spatial propagation. 

Visualizing the propagation path of electromagnetic waves from space to ground https://t.co/YTnNqi0dsL pic.twitter.com/3aZizbqErE

— Zyite.news (@ZyiteGadgets) December 10, 2021

This study focused on "electromagnetic ionic cyclotron waves (EMIC waves)," a geospatial electromagnetic wave that changes the geospatial plasma atmosphere. The source of this wave is confined in space. The ionic mode waves' source region has a finite spatial range. Along the geomagnetic field lines, EMIC waves propagate from the north to the south of the earth.

IXPE uses X-ray polarimetry, which is the measurement and interpretation of the polarization of electromagnetic waves, to improve our understanding of exotic objects like black holes ⚫ and stellar explosions.💥 https://t.co/olurWMJAMX
Our role on #IXPE: https://t.co/04PiCHudUU pic.twitter.com/g9fl6HciJa

— Ball Aerospace (@BallAerospace) December 7, 2021

According to the publication in Geophysical Research Letters, some scientists linked observations of EMIC waves from the Japanese "Arase", the American "Van Allen Probes", along with the Japanese "PWING" project and Canadian "CARISMA Magnometer" array, and found that waves in a "propagation path" traveled from space to Earth.

Ever thought about how learning the electromagnetic spectrum in #physics could be brought to life by seeing how we can use different wavelengths to measure properties of the Earth from Space? 〰️📡🛰️ Photo credit: @NASAEarth 3/7 pic.twitter.com/nEZQpiGrJJ

— SENSE Earth Observation CDT (@EoCdt) December 10, 2021

Near the geomagnetic equator, a series of sensors discovered waves that looked like EMIC waves, indicating that EMIC waves had a transmission channel between space and Earth.

Proton aurora is known to be caused by EMIC waves, and the findings of this study may be read as revealing the path taken by the energy that causes proton aurora as it travels from space to Earth.

In the first approximation, the Earth's magnetic field is a dipole, the poles of which are located near the poles of the planet. A magnetic field is a type of electromagnetic field created by moving electric charges or currents and exerting a force on the moving charges. pic.twitter.com/ClPKcVJF9U

— Ninel. (@AbbessNina) December 10, 2021

By understanding the location of the waves' source in space and how they spread, the study also revealed the "propagation path" for directing EMIC waves from space to Earth. The findings help to increase the precision of space weather forecasting.