Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
7
Space science research
from Antarctica
LOUISJ.LANZEROTTIANDALLANT.WEATHERWAX
The eastern sky was massed with swaying auroral light, the most vivid
and beautiful display I have ever seen - fold on fold the arches and curtains
of vibrating luminosity rose and spread across the sky, to slowly fade and
yet again spring to glowing life.
R. F. Scott, 22 June 1911
Introduction
At the ends of the Earth it is not only the land and the seas that are unusual.
Even the upper atmosphere is different, providing remarkable insights into the
way in which the planet interacts with the Sun and evidence for our wandering
magnetic
fields. The most striking visible evidence of these phenomena are the
lights in the winter sky
-
the Aurora Australis
-
produced by the interaction of
solar emissions with Earth
'
s environment, and
first seen by European explorers in
1773 by Captain James Cook
'
s expedition. Of course, this southern equivalent of
the
was observed on occasion by native peoples of the southern
regions of New Zealand and Australia. To the Maoris, the aurora was known as
Tahu-Nui-A-Rangi, a red glowing of the sky resulting from re
'
northern lights
'
ections of great
res.
Similarly, the aboriginal people in Australia viewed the aurora as the feast
fires of the
Oola-pikka, ghostly spirits who spoke to the elders through these auroral
ames.
Modern explanations, albeit less fanciful, are certainly just as colourful, and
centre on complex electromagnetic interactions between the Sun and Earth.
Whilst the
field on a
freely suspended needle are attributed to the Chinese in the twelfth century it was
not until the
first description of the effects of the Earth
'
s magnetic
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries that seafarers began to appreciate the
importance of the magnetic poles. Increasing scienti
c interest in magnetism, in due
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