How Solar Flares effect Atmospheric Electricity?

Such an interesting video.

Solar flares are often associated with coronal mass ejections, the ejections of electrons, protons and ions from the Sun. The Earth has a natural protection against these charged particles: its magnetic field and atmosphere that blocks most of them. However, some charged particles can enter the atmosphere at the poles.

One of the most spectacular consequence of this are auroras. When charged particles (especially electrons) find their way at the poles, they get accelerated along the lines of the magnetic field and collide with the particles in the atmosphere which makes them glow. That glow is what we see as an aurora.

Referring to following linked image, there is no electron density above 80km, would Ionosphere be an excellent insulation layer against any solar flare? Can a strong solar flare reach far enough into Mesosphere (50 - 80 km above sea level)?  Furthermore, Auroras occur on Ionosphere layer (80 - 600 km), but there is almost no electron density within this layer.  What happen if solar flare hits Earth's atmosphere and what process to create Auroras on Ionosphere layer?

Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you very much for any suggestions :>

Post Merge: 7 years ago

Referring to following articles, when the atmospheric atoms and molecules are impacted by the high energy the EUV and X-ray photons from the sun. The density of the ionosphere would be increased accordingly. I would like to know on how Mesosphere is effected by increasing density of ionosphere.

Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you very much for any suggestions :>


The Ionosphere is part of Earth’s upper atmosphere, between 80 and about 600 km where Extreme UltraViolet (EUV) and x-ray solar radiation ionizes the atoms and molecules thus creating a layer of electrons. the ionosphere is important because it reflects and modifies radio waves used for communication and navigation. Other phenomena such as energetic charged particles and cosmic rays also have an ionizing effect and can contribute to the ionosphere.

The atmospheric atoms and molecules are impacted by the high energy the EUV and X-ray photons from the sun. The amount of energy (photon flux) at EUV and x-ray wavelengths varies by nearly a factor of ten over the 11 year solar cycle. The density of the ionosphere changes accordingly. Due to spectral variability of the solar radiation and the density of various constituents in the atmosphere, there are layers are created within the ionosphere, called the D, E, and F-layers. Other solar phenomena, such as flares, and changes in the solar wind and geomagnetic storms also effect the charging of the ionosphere. Since the largest amount of ionization is caused by solar irradiance, the night-side of the earth, and the pole pointed away from the sun (depending on the season) have much less ionization than the day-side of the earth, and the pole pointing towards the sun.

Ref : http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/ionosphere

A mid- to large-sized solar flare would send waves of high energy radiation — x rays and ultraviolet light — zipping toward the Earth. These types of radiation are powerful enough to rip electrons off of atoms. That’s exactly what they start doing when they hit the upper portion of our atmosphere, known as the ionosphere.

Basically, the sky gets zapped with a giant electromagnetic pulse. But according to Berger, even the biggest flares don’t impact humans very much.

The electron of density is usually none on ionosphere levels, when solar flare hits Earth, the electron density is rising, which make the ionosphere layer (temperature increases with height) becoming more conductivity.  Mesosphere layer (temperature decrease with height and the electron of density is high - higher conductivity) is just below Ionosphere layer.  I would like to know on what kind of process is going on between this 2 layers with different property as shown below:

[Very Hot]
Ionosphere Layer (Temperature increases with height) from minimin electron of density (insulation) to higher electron of density (conductivity).

[Very Cold]
Mesosphere Layer (Temperature decreases with height) containing higher electron of density (conductivity).

[Warm]
Sea Level

I would like to know on how Mesosphere is effected by Ionosphere, since the thickness of conductivity layer is increasing during solar flare.  Referring to following article, would the property of Ionosphere become the property of Mesosphere at that moment? so Solar flare would trigger and increase the atmosphere protection by changing the property of Ionosphere layer into Mesosphere layer.  Would it increase the chance of lighting on ionosphere and which following case would occur as shown below?

• Lighting from Ionosphere layer into space direction
• Lighting from Ionosphere layer into Mesosphere layer

Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks, to everyone very much for any suggestions :>


Within Mesosphere layer, temperature decreases with increasing altitude due to decreasing solar heating and increasing cooling by CO2 radiative emission. The minimum in temperature at the top of the mesosphere is called the mesopause, and is the coldest place in the atmosphere. Millions of meteors burn up daily in the mesosphere as a result of collisions with the gas particles contained there; this creates enough heat to vaporize almost all of the falling objects long before they reach the ground, resulting in a high concentration of iron and other metal atoms there. Therefore its a protection barrier for all living beings. Without this layer we would get bombarded by meteors.

Ref : https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081030163636AABYWSu

I'm not entirely sure, but here's a friendly bump so that other smart people can chime in!

Do you have any permission to access the following linked article? I would like to know on how Moon phases effect on the ionospheric conductivity and influences the current systems of the magnetosphere.

Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks, to everyone very much for any suggestions :>


http://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S0016793207010094

I do not, sorry.

I did find some resources though:

https://sservi.nasa.gov/articles/mystery-lunar-ionosphere-solved/

I would look into this articles.
Thanks, to everyone very much for suggestions :>

The least I could do, you're welcome