Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory: The Auroral ElectrojetsThis simulation-based tutorial is part of NASA's soon-to-be-launched EZIE mission (Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer) which will allow scientists to observe and characterize the auroral electrojet, an electric current circling through the atmosphere roughly 100 km above Earth's surface. The electrojets push a huge amount of electrical charge around the poles every second and are responsible for some of the larger magnetic disturbances on the ground. Why we like it: These three depictions are beautifully rendered with text explanations that can help even novice learners understand how auroral electrojets act like a wedge-shaped circuit structure.
Teachers: This simulation should prove helpful in giving students an animated 3D glimpse of how electrical and magnetic interactions in auroral electrojets can be compared to a current-carrying wire -- which they explore in the Lecture Tutorial accompanying this DigiKit.
Teachers: This simulation should prove helpful in giving students an animated 3D glimpse of how electrical and magnetic interactions in auroral electrojets can be compared to a current-carrying wire -- which they explore in the Lecture Tutorial accompanying this DigiKit.
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory: EZIE SpacecraftSo here's where the rubber meets the road in the EZIE Mission (set to launch in 2025). This page is another fact-packed work of art from the Johns Hopkins team. First of all, the trio of "Cubesat" spacecrafts are tiny. What will three small cube-shaped satellites (each the size of a shoebox) be able to show us about auroral electrojets? The CubeSats will fly above the electrojets, but they're actually looking for oxygen molecules below the electrojets. Why? Because when oxygen molecules slow their rotation, they release a photon at exactly 118 GHz and split apart. This is called the Zeeman Effect. The stronger the electrojet magnetic field, the farther the spectral lines split apart in the O2 molecule. This will be a reliable way for scientists to indirectly gauge the strength of the current flowing through the electrojets.
Physlet Physics: Ampere's Law Exploration 28.1 - A Long Wire with Uniform CurrentIn this interactive simulation, students can move a slider to change the radius of an Amperian loop, view the magnitude of the magnetic field at this distance, and use Ampere's law to find the total current in the wire. Note to Instructors: Don't miss the downloadable worksheet that accompanies this Physlet.
Johns Hopkins Applied Science Laboratory: The Link Between Earth and SpaceFor students who need a refresher, this short tutorial simulates the interaction between the solar wind and Earth's magnetic field. It explains what causes the magnetotail, the teardrop-shaped region of the magnetic field. It introduces the concept of magnetic reconnection and the role of this phenomenon in space weather events. This resource is Part 1 of the animated tutorials depicting the EZIE mission, all linked from this page.