{ "id": 14628, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14628/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "Discovering Earth’s Third Global Energy Field", "description": "High above the Earth’s North and South Poles, a steady stream of particles escapes from our atmosphere into space. Scientists call this mysterious outflow the “polar wind,” and for almost 60 years, spacecraft have been flying through it as scientists have theorized about its cause. The leading theory was that a planet-wide electric field was drawing those particles up into space. But this so-called ambipolar electric field, if it exists, is so weak that all attempts to measure it have failed – until now.In 2022, scientists traveled to Svalbard, a small archipelago in Norway, to launch a rocket in an attempt to measure Earth’s ambipolar electric field for the first time. This was NASA’s Endurance rocketship mission, and this is its story.To learn more, visit: https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/heliophysics/nasa-discovers-long-sought-global-electric-field-on-earth/ || ", "release_date": "2024-08-28T11:30:00-04:00", "update_date": "2024-08-28T11:37:52.179001-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 1096850, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Thumbnail02.jpg", "filename": "Thumbnail02.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Discovering Earth's Third Global Energy FieldWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credit: \"Atoms in Motion\" by Phillip John Gregory [PRS], “Curious By Nature” by Eddie Saffron [PRS], “Perfect Vibes” by Thomas Gallicani [SACEM], “Natural Response” by Jonathan Elisa [ASCAP] and Sarah Trevino [ASCAP] from Universal Production MusicSound effects: Pixabay", "width": 1280, "height": 720, "pixels": 921600 }, "main_video": null, "main_credits": { "Produced by": [ { "name": "Lacey Young", "employer": "KBR Wyle Services, LLC" } ] }, "progress": "Complete", "media_groups": [ { "id": 374988, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14628/#media_group_374988", "widget": "Basic text with HTML", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "High above the Earth’s North and South Poles, a steady stream of particles escapes from our atmosphere into space. Scientists call this mysterious outflow the “polar wind,” and for almost 60 years, spacecraft have been flying through it as scientists have theorized about its cause. The leading theory was that a planet-wide electric field was drawing those particles up into space. But this so-called ambipolar electric field, if it exists, is so weak that all attempts to measure it have failed – until now.

In 2022, scientists traveled to Svalbard, a small archipelago in Norway, to launch a rocket in an attempt to measure Earth’s ambipolar electric field for the first time. This was NASA’s Endurance rocketship mission, and this is its story.

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Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.

Complete transcript available.

Music credit: \"Atoms in Motion\" by Phillip John Gregory [PRS], “Curious By Nature” by Eddie Saffron [PRS], “Perfect Vibes” by Thomas Gallicani [SACEM], “Natural Response” by Jonathan Elisa [ASCAP] and Sarah Trevino [ASCAP] from Universal Production Music

Sound effects: Pixabay

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Complete transcript available.

Music credit: \"Anticipating Outcomes\" by Simon George Begg [PRS] from Universal Production Music

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This animation shows a blue line encircling Earth (not shown to scale) that represents the ionosphere — one of the four layers of Earth’s upper atmosphere. The ionosphere starts about 50 miles (80 kilometers) above Earth’s surface and continues for hundreds of miles into space. Unlike the lower atmosphere, the upper atmosphere is very sensitive to fluctuations in electrical energy.

Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "items": [ { "id": 433862, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096860, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/1A.jpg", "filename": "1A.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThis animation shows a blue line encircling Earth (not shown to scale) that represents the ionosphere — one of the four layers of Earth’s upper atmosphere. The ionosphere starts about 50 miles (80 kilometers) above Earth’s surface and continues for hundreds of miles into space. Unlike the lower atmosphere, the upper atmosphere is very sensitive to fluctuations in electrical energy.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 433861, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096859, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ1A_1080.mp4", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ1A_1080.mp4", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThis animation shows a blue line encircling Earth (not shown to scale) that represents the ionosphere — one of the four layers of Earth’s upper atmosphere. The ionosphere starts about 50 miles (80 kilometers) above Earth’s surface and continues for hundreds of miles into space. Unlike the lower atmosphere, the upper atmosphere is very sensitive to fluctuations in electrical energy.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 433860, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096858, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ1A_4K.mov", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ1A_4K.mov", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThis animation shows a blue line encircling Earth (not shown to scale) that represents the ionosphere — one of the four layers of Earth’s upper atmosphere. The ionosphere starts about 50 miles (80 kilometers) above Earth’s surface and continues for hundreds of miles into space. Unlike the lower atmosphere, the upper atmosphere is very sensitive to fluctuations in electrical energy.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 3840, "height": 2160, "pixels": 8294400 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 375018, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14628/#media_group_375018", "widget": "Video player", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Conceptual Animation

This animation starts with a close-up view of the ionosphere, represented as a blue arc over a slowly-rotating Earth (not to scale). The view then zooms in, showing nitrogen (N2) that comprises most of the atmosphere. Panning upward, the view then shows atomic oxygen, a lighter element that populates the upper portions of the ionosphere.

When photons from the Sun collide with these gases, electrons can be knocked loose. As the atoms and molecules lose electrons, they become positively charged, making them ions. This process is known as ionization.

After the oxygen atom becomes ionized, the view changes to show a collection of these ionized gases, known as plasma. When there are equal numbers of electrons and ions, the plasma, as a whole, is neither positively nor negatively charged, but neutral. However, the magnetic pull between the individual particles tethers them together by an electric field, like glue. This field is known as the ambipolar electric field.

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This animation shows a collection of particles feeling the pull of gravity competing with the tug of energized electrons.

The hot, lightweight electrons would happily escape to space independently, but they’re shackled to the much heavier ions by the ambipolar electric field. These ions feel the force of gravity over a thousand times more than the tiny electrons and try to pull the electrons back toward Earth. But the electrons have so much energy from the ionization process, they continue traveling up along the magnetic field. (This is represented in the animation by the large, white ions swinging downward as the smaller, purple electrons tug upward.)

The bidirectional nature of this connection gives the field its name: the ambipolar electric field. Ambi- is a prefix borrowed from Latin to mean “both” and the field’s effects are felt most strongly at the poles.

Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "items": [ { "id": 433869, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096867, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/2A.jpg", "filename": "2A.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThis animation shows a collection of particles feeling the pull of gravity competing with the tug of energized electrons. The hot, lightweight electrons would happily escape to space independently, but they’re shackled to the much heavier ions by the ambipolar electric field. These ions feel the force of gravity over a thousand times more than the tiny electrons and try to pull the electrons back toward Earth. But the electrons have so much energy from the ionization process, they continue traveling up along the magnetic field. (This is represented in the animation by the large, white ions swinging downward as the smaller, purple electrons tug upward.)The bidirectional nature of this connection gives the field its name: the ambipolar electric field. Ambi- is a prefix borrowed from Latin to mean “both” and the field’s effects are felt most strongly at the poles.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 433867, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096865, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ2A_1080.mp4", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ2A_1080.mp4", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThis animation shows a collection of particles feeling the pull of gravity competing with the tug of energized electrons. The hot, lightweight electrons would happily escape to space independently, but they’re shackled to the much heavier ions by the ambipolar electric field. These ions feel the force of gravity over a thousand times more than the tiny electrons and try to pull the electrons back toward Earth. But the electrons have so much energy from the ionization process, they continue traveling up along the magnetic field. (This is represented in the animation by the large, white ions swinging downward as the smaller, purple electrons tug upward.)The bidirectional nature of this connection gives the field its name: the ambipolar electric field. Ambi- is a prefix borrowed from Latin to mean “both” and the field’s effects are felt most strongly at the poles.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 433868, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096866, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ2A_4K.webm", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ2A_4K.webm", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThis animation shows a collection of particles feeling the pull of gravity competing with the tug of energized electrons. The hot, lightweight electrons would happily escape to space independently, but they’re shackled to the much heavier ions by the ambipolar electric field. These ions feel the force of gravity over a thousand times more than the tiny electrons and try to pull the electrons back toward Earth. But the electrons have so much energy from the ionization process, they continue traveling up along the magnetic field. (This is represented in the animation by the large, white ions swinging downward as the smaller, purple electrons tug upward.)The bidirectional nature of this connection gives the field its name: the ambipolar electric field. Ambi- is a prefix borrowed from Latin to mean “both” and the field’s effects are felt most strongly at the poles.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 3840, "height": 2160, "pixels": 8294400 } }, { "id": 433870, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096868, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ2B_4K.webm", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ2B_4K.webm", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThis animation shows a collection of particles feeling the pull of gravity competing with the tug of energized electrons. The hot, lightweight electrons would happily escape to space independently, but they’re shackled to the much heavier ions by the ambipolar electric field. These ions feel the force of gravity over a thousand times more than the tiny electrons and try to pull the electrons back toward Earth. But the electrons have so much energy from the ionization process, they continue traveling up along the magnetic field. (This is represented in the animation by the large, white ions swinging downward as the smaller, purple electrons tug upward.)The bidirectional nature of this connection gives the field its name: the ambipolar electric field. Ambi- is a prefix borrowed from Latin to mean “both” and the field’s effects are felt most strongly at the poles.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 3840, "height": 2160, "pixels": 8294400 } }, { "id": 433866, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096864, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ2A_4K.mov", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ2A_4K.mov", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThis animation shows a collection of particles feeling the pull of gravity competing with the tug of energized electrons. The hot, lightweight electrons would happily escape to space independently, but they’re shackled to the much heavier ions by the ambipolar electric field. These ions feel the force of gravity over a thousand times more than the tiny electrons and try to pull the electrons back toward Earth. But the electrons have so much energy from the ionization process, they continue traveling up along the magnetic field. (This is represented in the animation by the large, white ions swinging downward as the smaller, purple electrons tug upward.)The bidirectional nature of this connection gives the field its name: the ambipolar electric field. Ambi- is a prefix borrowed from Latin to mean “both” and the field’s effects are felt most strongly at the poles.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 3840, "height": 2160, "pixels": 8294400 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 375020, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14628/#media_group_375020", "widget": "Video player", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Conceptual Animation

This animation shows the two main effects of the ambipolar electric field: inflating the ionosphere and generating the polar wind.

The sparkling blue haze surrounding Earth represents the plasma in the ionosphere. At the beginning of the animation, the ionosphere is dense and close to Earth, but when the ambipolar electric field is applied to the plasma, the ionosphere inflates, making it taller. This happens because the tug from the energized electrons, which are connected to the heavy ions, slightly overpowers the force of gravity, creating an upward lift.

Hydrogen ions, however, are so light that the field’s upward force is ten times the downward force of gravity. This accelerates the hydrogen ions upward to supersonic speeds, enough for the ions to escape to space above Earth’s magnetic poles. This hydrogen ion outflow is known as the polar wind, shown in the animation as sparkling white lights traveling up the blue magnetic field lines and out of frame.

Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "items": [ { "id": 433873, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096874, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/2B.jpg", "filename": "2B.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThis animation shows the two main effects of the ambipolar electric field: inflating the ionosphere and generating the polar wind.The sparkling blue haze surrounding Earth represents the plasma in the ionosphere. At the beginning of the animation, the ionosphere is dense and close to Earth, but when the ambipolar electric field is applied to the plasma, the ionosphere inflates, making it taller. This happens because the tug from the energized electrons, which are connected to the heavy ions, slightly overpowers the force of gravity, creating an upward lift.Hydrogen ions, however, are so light that the field’s upward force is ten times the downward force of gravity. This accelerates the hydrogen ions upward to supersonic speeds, enough for the ions to escape to space above Earth’s magnetic poles. This hydrogen ion outflow is known as the polar wind, shown in the animation as sparkling white lights traveling up the blue magnetic field lines and out of frame.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 433872, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096872, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ2B_1080.mp4", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ2B_1080.mp4", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThis animation shows the two main effects of the ambipolar electric field: inflating the ionosphere and generating the polar wind.The sparkling blue haze surrounding Earth represents the plasma in the ionosphere. At the beginning of the animation, the ionosphere is dense and close to Earth, but when the ambipolar electric field is applied to the plasma, the ionosphere inflates, making it taller. This happens because the tug from the energized electrons, which are connected to the heavy ions, slightly overpowers the force of gravity, creating an upward lift.Hydrogen ions, however, are so light that the field’s upward force is ten times the downward force of gravity. This accelerates the hydrogen ions upward to supersonic speeds, enough for the ions to escape to space above Earth’s magnetic poles. This hydrogen ion outflow is known as the polar wind, shown in the animation as sparkling white lights traveling up the blue magnetic field lines and out of frame.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 433871, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096870, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ2B_4K.mov", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ2B_4K.mov", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThis animation shows the two main effects of the ambipolar electric field: inflating the ionosphere and generating the polar wind.The sparkling blue haze surrounding Earth represents the plasma in the ionosphere. At the beginning of the animation, the ionosphere is dense and close to Earth, but when the ambipolar electric field is applied to the plasma, the ionosphere inflates, making it taller. This happens because the tug from the energized electrons, which are connected to the heavy ions, slightly overpowers the force of gravity, creating an upward lift.Hydrogen ions, however, are so light that the field’s upward force is ten times the downward force of gravity. This accelerates the hydrogen ions upward to supersonic speeds, enough for the ions to escape to space above Earth’s magnetic poles. This hydrogen ion outflow is known as the polar wind, shown in the animation as sparkling white lights traveling up the blue magnetic field lines and out of frame.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 3840, "height": 2160, "pixels": 8294400 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 375021, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14628/#media_group_375021", "widget": "Video player", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Conceptual Animation

The glow in this animation depicts one of Earth’s fundamental global fields: gravity. Gravity is the force that draws objects toward each other, like an apple falling from a tree toward the ground. Because of its size and density, Earth has a strong gravitational pull, tugging objects toward its center. This consistent pull has affected the formation and evolution of our planet, including the atmosphere.

The blue lines radiating from Earth represent our planet’s magnetic field.

Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "items": [ { "id": 433876, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096880, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/3A.jpg", "filename": "3A.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThe glow in this animation depicts one of Earth’s fundamental global fields: gravity. Gravity is the force that draws objects toward each other, like an apple falling from a tree toward the ground. Because of its size and density, Earth has a strong gravitational pull, tugging objects toward its center. This consistent pull has affected the formation and evolution of our planet, including the atmosphere.The blue lines radiating from Earth represent our planet’s magnetic field.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 433875, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096878, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ3A_1080.mp4", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ3A_1080.mp4", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThe glow in this animation depicts one of Earth’s fundamental global fields: gravity. Gravity is the force that draws objects toward each other, like an apple falling from a tree toward the ground. Because of its size and density, Earth has a strong gravitational pull, tugging objects toward its center. This consistent pull has affected the formation and evolution of our planet, including the atmosphere.The blue lines radiating from Earth represent our planet’s magnetic field.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 433877, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096882, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ3A_4K.webm", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ3A_4K.webm", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThe glow in this animation depicts one of Earth’s fundamental global fields: gravity. Gravity is the force that draws objects toward each other, like an apple falling from a tree toward the ground. Because of its size and density, Earth has a strong gravitational pull, tugging objects toward its center. This consistent pull has affected the formation and evolution of our planet, including the atmosphere.The blue lines radiating from Earth represent our planet’s magnetic field.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 3840, "height": 2160, "pixels": 8294400 } }, { "id": 433878, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096884, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ3B_4K.webm", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ3B_4K.webm", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThe glow in this animation depicts one of Earth’s fundamental global fields: gravity. Gravity is the force that draws objects toward each other, like an apple falling from a tree toward the ground. Because of its size and density, Earth has a strong gravitational pull, tugging objects toward its center. This consistent pull has affected the formation and evolution of our planet, including the atmosphere.The blue lines radiating from Earth represent our planet’s magnetic field.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 3840, "height": 2160, "pixels": 8294400 } }, { "id": 433874, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096876, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ3A_4K.mov", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ3A_4K.mov", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThe glow in this animation depicts one of Earth’s fundamental global fields: gravity. Gravity is the force that draws objects toward each other, like an apple falling from a tree toward the ground. Because of its size and density, Earth has a strong gravitational pull, tugging objects toward its center. This consistent pull has affected the formation and evolution of our planet, including the atmosphere.The blue lines radiating from Earth represent our planet’s magnetic field.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 3840, "height": 2160, "pixels": 8294400 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 375024, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14628/#media_group_375024", "widget": "Video player", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Conceptual Animation

This animation shows energetic particles from the Sun interacting with Earth’s magnetic field, called the magnetosphere. The magnetosphere is another one of Earth’s fundamental global fields. It originates from the churning of hot, liquid metals in our planet’s core and extends thousands of miles out into space. Our magnetosphere protects us from much of the radiation we encounter in the universe, including the Sun’s energetic particles (shown here coming from the left side of the animation). When these particles run into the magnetosphere, they tend to flow around it like air deflected by the nose of a supersonic jet.

Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "items": [ { "id": 434699, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1097492, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/3B.jpg", "filename": "3B.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThis animation shows energetic particles from the Sun interacting with Earth’s magnetic field, called the magnetosphere. The magnetosphere is another one of Earth’s fundamental global fields. It originates from the churning of hot, liquid metals in our planet’s core and extends thousands of miles out into space. Our magnetosphere protects us from much of the radiation we encounter in the universe, including the Sun’s energetic particles (shown here coming from the left side of the animation). When these particles run into the magnetosphere, they tend to flow around it like air deflected by the nose of a supersonic jet.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 433880, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096888, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ3B_1080.mp4", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ3B_1080.mp4", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThis animation shows energetic particles from the Sun interacting with Earth’s magnetic field, called the magnetosphere. The magnetosphere is another one of Earth’s fundamental global fields. It originates from the churning of hot, liquid metals in our planet’s core and extends thousands of miles out into space. Our magnetosphere protects us from much of the radiation we encounter in the universe, including the Sun’s energetic particles (shown here coming from the left side of the animation). When these particles run into the magnetosphere, they tend to flow around it like air deflected by the nose of a supersonic jet.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 433879, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096886, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ3B_4K.mov", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ3B_4K.mov", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThis animation shows energetic particles from the Sun interacting with Earth’s magnetic field, called the magnetosphere. The magnetosphere is another one of Earth’s fundamental global fields. It originates from the churning of hot, liquid metals in our planet’s core and extends thousands of miles out into space. Our magnetosphere protects us from much of the radiation we encounter in the universe, including the Sun’s energetic particles (shown here coming from the left side of the animation). When these particles run into the magnetosphere, they tend to flow around it like air deflected by the nose of a supersonic jet.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 3840, "height": 2160, "pixels": 8294400 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 375358, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14628/#media_group_375358", "widget": "Video player", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Conceptual Animation

The sparkling blue glow in this animation represents Earth’s newly discovered third fundamental global field: the ambipolar electric field. This field makes the atmosphere taller by lifting and separating the particles of the ionosphere, like blowing up a balloon. It also lofts some of these particles out into space along magnetic field lines over the poles. This atmospheric escape is known as the polar wind.

Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "items": [ { "id": 433886, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096898, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/3C.jpg", "filename": "3C.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThe sparkling blue glow in this animation represents Earth’s newly discovered third fundamental global field: the ambipolar electric field. This field makes the atmosphere taller by lifting and separating the particles of the ionosphere, like blowing up a balloon. It also lofts some of these particles out into space along magnetic field lines over the poles. This atmospheric escape is known as the polar wind.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 433884, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096894, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ3C_1080.mp4", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ3C_1080.mp4", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThe sparkling blue glow in this animation represents Earth’s newly discovered third fundamental global field: the ambipolar electric field. This field makes the atmosphere taller by lifting and separating the particles of the ionosphere, like blowing up a balloon. It also lofts some of these particles out into space along magnetic field lines over the poles. This atmospheric escape is known as the polar wind.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 433885, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096896, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ3C_4K.webm", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ3C_4K.webm", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThe sparkling blue glow in this animation represents Earth’s newly discovered third fundamental global field: the ambipolar electric field. This field makes the atmosphere taller by lifting and separating the particles of the ionosphere, like blowing up a balloon. It also lofts some of these particles out into space along magnetic field lines over the poles. This atmospheric escape is known as the polar wind.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 3840, "height": 2160, "pixels": 8294400 } }, { "id": 433883, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 1096892, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014628/Endurance_SEQ3C_4K.mov", "filename": "Endurance_SEQ3C_4K.mov", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationThe sparkling blue glow in this animation represents Earth’s newly discovered third fundamental global field: the ambipolar electric field. This field makes the atmosphere taller by lifting and separating the particles of the ionosphere, like blowing up a balloon. It also lofts some of these particles out into space along magnetic field lines over the poles. This atmospheric escape is known as the polar wind.Credit: NASA/Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 3840, "height": 2160, "pixels": 8294400 } } ], "extra_data": {} } ], "studio": "gms", "funding_sources": [ "PAO" ], "credits": [ { "role": "Producer", "people": [ { "name": "Lacey Young", "employer": "KBR Wyle Services, LLC" }, { "name": "Miles S. Hatfield", "employer": "Telophase" }, { "name": "Rachel Lense", "employer": "ADNET Systems, Inc." } ] }, { "role": "Editor", "people": [ { "name": "Lacey Young", "employer": "KBR Wyle Services, LLC" } ] }, { "role": "Writer", "people": [ { "name": "Miles S. Hatfield", "employer": "Telophase" }, { "name": "Glyn Collinson", "employer": "Catholic University of America" }, { "name": "Rachel Lense", "employer": "ADNET Systems, Inc." } ] }, { "role": "Talent", "people": [ { "name": "Glyn Collinson", "employer": "Catholic University of America" } ] }, { "role": "Animator", "people": [ { "name": "Krystofer Kim", "employer": "KBR Wyle Services, LLC" }, { "name": "Wes D. Buchanan", "employer": "ARES Corporation" } ] } ], "missions": [], "series": [ "Narrated Movies" ], "tapes": [], "papers": [], "datasets": [], "nasa_science_categories": [ "Earth", "Sun" ], "keywords": [ "Ambipolar electric field", "Earth Science", "Electric Field", "Energy field", "Gravity", "Heliophysics", "Heliophysics Big Year", "Ion escape", "Ionization", "Ionosphere", "Ionosphere/Magnetosphere Dynamics", "Location", "Magnetosphere", "Particles and Fields", "Plasma", "Solar Wind", "Sounding Rocket", "Sun-earth Interactions" ], "recommended_pages": [], "related": [ { "id": 14892, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14892/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "Solar Wind Animations", "description": "The Sun releases a constant stream of charged particles, called the solar wind. The solar wind originates in the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere, the corona, when plasma is heated to a point that the Sun’s gravity can’t hold it down. When this plasma escapes – often reaching speeds of over one million miles per hour – it drags the Sun’s magnetic out across the solar system. When the solar wind encounters Earth, it is deflected by our planet's magnetic shield, causing most of the solar wind's energetic particles to flow around and beyond us. However, some of these high-energy particles can sneak past Earth’s natural magnetic defenses and produce hazardous conditions for satellites and astronauts, as well as power grids and infrastructure on Earth.Learn more about the solar wind: https://science.nasa.gov/sun/what-is-the-solar-wind/ || ", "release_date": "2025-08-29T16:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2025-08-29T12:37:20.328315-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 1158038, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014800/a014892/14892_009_PSP_EarthSunHelioPause_4K_ProRes.00001_print.jpg", "filename": "14892_009_PSP_EarthSunHelioPause_4K_ProRes.00001_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Conceptual AnimationArtist interpretation of flying by the Earth, Sun and Heliopause.Credit: NASA Goddard/CILJonathan North", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "sources": [ { "id": 5193, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5193/", "page_type": "Visualization", "title": "Geomagnetic Storm Causes Satellite Loss", "description": "In February 2022, a Coronal Mass Ejection led to 38 commercial satellites being lost. Solar plasma from a geomagnetic storm heated the atmosphere, causing denser gases to expand into the satellites’ orbit, which increased atmospheric drag on the satellites and caused them to de-orbit. Johns Hopkins APL-led Center for Geospace Storms (CGS) is building a Multiscale Atmosphere-Geospace Environment (MAGE) supercomputer model to predict space weather. The physics-based MAGE simulation reproduced the storm-time atmospheric density enhancement much better than empirical or standalone ionosphere-thermosphere models, emphasizing the need for fully-coupled whole-of-geospace models for predicting space weather events. || ", "release_date": "2023-12-11T09:00:00-05:00", "update_date": "2025-05-13T14:44:14.429234-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 1087820, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a005100/a005193/multiField_11-30-2023a_magnetosphere_anim_3x3Hyperwall.01500_print.jpg", "filename": "multiField_11-30-2023a_magnetosphere_anim_3x3Hyperwall.01500_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "This animation demonstrates the Earth’s magnetosphere being hit by a geomagnetic storm on February 3, 2020, simulated by MAGE during the storm that caused the loss of commercial satellites.The green current density shows where magnetic current is strong. Lines tracing out the magnetic field are purple in regions of weaker magnetism, and orange-yellow where the magnetic field is strongest. Blue tracers in the velocity field represent the solar wind, and they have been calibrated to appear brightest when they are moving toward the Earth.Credit:NASA Scientific Visualization Studio and NASA DRIVE Science Center for Geospace Storms", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } }, { "id": 13430, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13430/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "Why NASA is sending rockets into Earth’s leaky atmosphere", "description": "In the tiny Arctic town of Ny-Ålesund, where polar bears outnumber people, winter means three months without sunlight. The unending darkness is ideal for those who seek a strange breed of northern lights, normally obscured by daylight. When these unusual auroras shine, Earth’s atmosphere leaks into space.NASA scientists traveled to Ny-Ålesund to launch rockets through these auroras and witness oxygen particles right in the middle of their escape. Piercing these fleeting auroras, some 300 miles high, would require strategy, patience — and a fair bit of luck. This was NASA’s VISIONS-2 mission, and this is their story.VISIONS-2 was just the first of many. Over the coming months, rocket teams from all over the world will launch rockets into this region as part of the Grand Challenge Initiative—Cusp, an international collaboration to study the mysteries of the polar atmosphere. || ", "release_date": "2019-11-14T12:00:00-05:00", "update_date": "2023-05-03T13:45:31.603621-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 390781, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013400/a013430/VISIONS2_Thumbnail.jpg", "filename": "VISIONS2_Thumbnail.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credits: “Journey to the Past”, “New Philosopher”, “Curiosity Cabinet”, “Buzzing Culture”, “Dusk Theories”, “At the Edge of the End” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “Strong Voices” by Tom Caffey [ASCAP]; “The Fortune Teller” by Phil Stevens [PRS]; “Shinobi’s Fight” by Benoit Malis [SACEM]; “Spring into Life” by Oliver Worth [PRS]", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 12797, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12797/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "NASA Evaluates New Threats to Earth’s Ozone Layer", "description": "Complete transcript available. || Ozone_future_concerns_2017.00060_print.jpg (1024x576) [57.9 KB] || Ozone_future_concerns_2017.00060_searchweb.png (320x180) [55.6 KB] || Ozone_future_concerns_2017.00060_thm.png (80x40) [4.4 KB] || Ozone_future_concerns_2017.mp4 (1920x1080) [638.6 MB] || Ozone_future_concerns_2017.webm (1920x1080) [21.6 MB] || Ozone_future_concerns_2017.en_US.srt [3.9 KB] || Ozone_future_concerns_2017.en_US.vtt [3.9 KB] || ", "release_date": "2017-12-08T16:00:00-05:00", "update_date": "2023-05-03T13:47:08.863500-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 408476, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a012700/a012797/Ozone_future_concerns_2017.00060_print.jpg", "filename": "Ozone_future_concerns_2017.00060_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Complete transcript available.", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } } ], "products": [ { "id": 14739, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14739/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "From the Moon, NASA’s LEXI Will Reveal Earth’s Magnetic Shield", "description": "NASA’s next mission to the Moon will carry an instrument called LEXI (the Lunar Environment Heliospheric X-ray Imager), which will provide the first-ever global view of the magnetic environment that shields Earth from solar radiation.From the surface of the Moon, LEXI will capture wide-field images of Earth's magnetic environment, or magnetosphere, in low-energy (or \"soft\") X-rays. LEXI will study changes in the magnetosphere and help us learn more about how it interacts with a stream of particles from the Sun called the solar wind, which can pose hazards for Artemis astronauts traveling to the Moon.Learn more about LEXI and its CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) flight to the Moon from Hyunju Connor, LEXI co-investigator at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.More on LEXI: https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/heliophysics/nasas-lexi-will-provide-x-ray-vision-of-earths-magnetosphere/ || ", "release_date": "2025-01-03T12:00:00-05:00", "update_date": "2025-01-16T14:00:58.198229-05:00", "main_image": { "id": 1140107, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014700/a014739/Thumbnail01.jpg", "filename": "Thumbnail01.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credit: \"Breakthrough Discovery\" by Phillip John Gregory [PRS] from Universal Production Music", "width": 1280, "height": 720, "pixels": 921600 } } ], "newer_versions": [], "older_versions": [], "alternate_versions": [] }