Chapter 30, Problem 20TE

What causes the fiery display of light called the auroras?

To determine

The reason that causes fiery display of light called the auroras.

Answer to Problem 20TE

The ionosphere in which the solar wind mixing occurs causes a fiery display of light called the auroras.

Explanation of Solution

The Earth's atmosphere consists of various layers, and these layers are distributed according to their density, pressure, and temperature. The ionosphere is the region present within the thermosphere and uppermost Exosphere.

This Ionosphere region consists of more ions, so due to solar wind mixing in the ionosphere, the highly charged particles released for the Sun strikes with the ions present in the ionosphere and cause the movement of the electron into high energy state. When these electrons of high energy state come back to lower energy states, they emit a fiery display of light called the auroras.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the ionosphere in which the solar wind mixing occurs causes a fiery display of light called the auroras.