Earth Electron Shield - A team of scientists led by the University of Colorado Boulder has discovered an invisible earth electron shield located 7,200 miles above Earth. The mysterious earth electron shield surprised the researchers after they found out that they blocked so-called "killer electrons."
Killer electrons, known to have threatened astronauts, thrash around the planet at near-light speed. They are known to have already fried satellites and degrade space systems during times of intense solar storms, according to Science Daily.
Now, with the recent discovery of the earth electron shield, scientists are likening it to "force fields on Star Trek," reports the Inquisitr.
Despite sounding like a thing from Star Trek tech, the mysterious and protective earth electron shield is not science fiction at all. The research on the earth electron shield is described in the journal "Nature," in which scientists try to understand better the complex dynamics of the Van Allen radiation belts.
According to Front Line Desk, the earth electron shield was discovered in the Van Allen radiation belts. The belts are two doughnut-shaped rings above Earth, filled with high-energy electrons and protons. They are kept in place by Earth's magnetic field and swell and shrink as they respond to incoming energy disturbances from the sun.
The Van Allen radiation belts were reportedly first discovered way back 1958, but the two belts scientists consisted of an inner and outer belt. They extended up to 25,000 miles above Earth's surface.
Last year, Professor Daniel Baker from the University of Colorado Boulder, together with his team, used the twin Van Allen Probes launched in 2012 to discover a third, transient 'storage ring.'
Their research concluded that the third belt is located between the previously known inner and outer Van Allen radiation belts. The newly discovered belt is different in that it appeared to appear and disappear as space weather changes.
The ring, now called the earth electron shield, is a thing that the scientists believe blocks killer electrons from entering deeper into the Earth's atmosphere. These killer electrons have great potential to be extremely devastating at their near-light speed. According to the scientists, they have been known to threaten astronauts, fry satellites and even damage space systems.
"The presence of such a clear, persistent and seemingly impenetrable barrier to inward transport of ultrarelativistic electrons at this very specific location presents a substantial puzzle," said the study authors of the earth electron shield.
According to Beta Wired notes, Baker compared the invisible earth electron shield to Star Trek force fields because the invisible force reminded him of the kind of shields used in the television series in barring alien energy weapons from vaporizing starships. In Earth's case, the earth electron shield stops the killer electrons from entering our atmosphere.
The discovery reportedly took the scientists by surprise since they expected seeing a more natural, smooth transition. According to previous theories, magnetic fields could be holding the electrons in place. Also, it could be that human-generated radio signals from the ground were somewhat blocking the onslaught.
Now, what with the discovery of the earth electron shield, those theories of old are not making much sense any longer. The scientists are now working to determine how the invisible barrier was formed and exactly how it's working.
"It's almost like these electrons are running into a glass wall in space. It's an extremely puzzling phenomenon," said Baker.
The findings on the earth electron shield provide fresh insight into the complex workings of plasma physics. The research could pave the way for engineers to have a better idea about where to safely park orbiting satellites, according to the Los Angeles Times.
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