WEBVTT FILE

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:12.880
(music)

2
00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:13.540
(rattle)

3
00:00:13.540 --> 00:00:17.300
(music)

4
00:00:17.300 --> 00:00:22.280
(Narrator) We often underestimate how beautiful a scientific discovery can be. When the

5
00:00:22.280 --> 00:00:27.410
THEMIS satellite fleet launched in 2007,
the mission set out to investigate what

6
00:00:27.410 --> 00:00:32.029
triggers sub storms. Sub storms are
atmospheric events visible in the

7
00:00:32.029 --> 00:00:37.480
northern hemisphere as a sudden brightening of the northern lights or Aurora Borealis.

8
00:00:37.480 --> 00:00:40.020
(music)

9
00:00:40.020 --> 00:00:44.060
One such sub storm in
March 2008 produced lightning fast

10
00:00:44.060 --> 00:00:47.240
Aurora with the energy of a moderate
earthquake.

11
00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:49.240
(music)

12
00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:55.840
NASA scientists found the answer to this mysterious behavior an massive energy in giant magnetic ropes.

13
00:00:55.840 --> 00:01:00.859
These can be as wide as the Earth itself
serve as conduits for solar wind

14
00:01:00.859 --> 00:01:05.059
particles which collide with the Earth's
magnetic field and charge the

15
00:01:05.059 --> 00:01:09.740
spectacular sub storms and Aurora's.
These ropes are evidence of a direct

16
00:01:09.740 --> 00:01:14.270
connection between the Sun and the
Earth's upper atmosphere. It is when

17
00:01:14.270 --> 00:01:19.070
these ropes form and unravel that the
highly energetic solar wind ignites the

18
00:01:19.070 --> 00:01:23.750
Earth's magnetic field and lights up the
northern sky providing a celestial dance

19
00:01:23.750 --> 00:01:28.100
that is captivated observers since
ancient times.

20
00:01:28.100 --> 00:01:41.060
(music)