- NASA will perform a CT scan of auroras to study their electrical currents in 3D
- The GNEISS mission launched from Alaska aims to analyze electron flow and plasma density
- Auroras form when charged solar particles collide with Earth's upper atmosphere gases
NASA scientists to perform a CT scan of the auroras to get insight details about these stunning 'dancing lights', which are formed when charged solar particles collide with gases in Earth's upper atmosphere, usually visible near the magnetic poles. The launch of the Geophysical Non-Equilibrium Ionospheric System Science (GNEISS) mission was scheduled to take place from Alaska's Poker Flat Research Range in February 2026.
Auroras, also called the northern lights, are nothing but a giant cosmic electrical circuit, and the scientists want to study them by sending two rockets through them, with each deploying four sub-payloads. These payloads will transmit radio signals to ground receivers, acting like a CT scan to map the density and direction of electrons.
The mission focuses on understanding the 3D, time-varying ionospheric volume, particularly the "black auroras", which are the dark regions where auroral currents reverse direction.
Also read | Scientists Plan To Build 150-Meter Wall To Mitigate "Doomsday Glacier" Melting Crisis
In an article by NASA, the researchers have explained that the incoming electrons slow along beams that look like a power cord; however, the current flowing back from the aurora is not well-organised. Once the auroras are alight, these auroral electrons scatter in unpredictable directions. They somehow reach back the auroral "circuit," but after disturbing the atmosphere.
NASA confirmed that the rockets would deploy four subpayloads, to collect data on electron flow and plasma density. The mission will help scientists understand how auroral currents impact satellite operations and the upper atmosphere. Data from GNEISS will be combined with NASA's EZIE satellite mission to develop predictive models for auroral activity.
"We're not just interested in where the rocket flies," Kristina Lynch, who is the principal investigator for GNEISS and a professor at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, said as quoted by NASA's report. "We want to know how the current spreads downward through the atmosphere."
Also read | Asteroid Heading Towards Moon Could Create "Optical Flash" On Impact, Finds Study
The GNEISS mission will contribute significantly to our understanding of space weather and its impact on Earth's upper atmosphere. By studying the aurora, scientists can better predict and prepare for potential disruptions to satellite operations and other space-based technologies.
"It's essentially like doing a CT scan of the plasma beneath the aurora," Lynch said, further adding that GNEISS will create a three-dimensional view of the electrical environment of an aurora.
"If we can put the in situ measurements together with the ground-based imagery, then we can learn to read the aurora," Lynch said.
