The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are created as charged particles interact with the Earth’s atmosphere. These electrons are part of the solar wind and as they pass through the Earth’s magnetic shield (the magnetosphere); the charged particles collide with those in our atmosphere, emitting light. In the southern hemisphere this phenomenon is known as the aurora australis, but both are caus ...[Read More]
Muon musings – how penetrating particles could let us peer beneath Mars’ surface
Muons are penetrating particles generated by cosmic rays. Muon radiography – or muography – is the large-scale equivalent of using x-rays to generate images. Except, instead of using x-rays to take a closer look at your broken arm, we can use showers of muons to take a look inside large geological structures – we’re talking several kilometres in size here! When cosmic rays meet the atmospher ...[Read More]
GeoCinema Online: Making Measurements
Making measurements from the space and looking to the skies has hugely enhanced our understanding of the Earth, it’s surface processes and its movement in space. This short episode of GeoCinema Online takes you through some of the great technological developments in the Earth and planetary sciences! Looking Down a Well: A Brief History of Geodesy Geodesy is a field of study that deals with ...[Read More]
GeoCinema Online: Space & Planetary Science
If you were at our General Assembly, you probably spotted GeoCinema, or took a moment to catch your breath between sessions and relax with a geological film. But with all the science to be heard and discussions to join, watching the full programme would have been impossible. How do we get around this? By bringing GeoCinema straight to your living room! Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing a de ...[Read More]