Ultra-fast electron rain is pouring out of Earth's magnetosphere, and scientists think they know why

A new phenomenon in the Earth's magnetic shield may cause tomorrow's weather to be cloudy with a chance of electrons.

Described as unexpected, ultra-fast andelectron precipitation, the phenomenon occurs when waves of energy pulse through Earth's magnetosphere. The electrons overflow from the magnetosphere and plummet to Earth.

According to research published in the journal Nature Communications, the solar storms may contribute to the Aurora borealis. The researchers said that electron rains may pose a threat to astronauts in ways that space radiation models don't currently account for.

Earth's magnetic field booms like a drum, but no one can hear it.

The study co-author, Vassilis Angelopoulos, a professor of space physics at the University of California Los Angeles, said that space and the upper atmosphere are inextricably linked.

Scientists have known for a long time that energetic particles occasionally rain down on our planet. The particles originate in the sun and travel across the gap between Earth and the sun on the back of solar wind. Many of these particles are trapped in one of two giant, donut-shaped belts of radiation known as the Van Allen belts. Waves generated within these belts can cause electrons to speed up.

The new study shows that electron downpours can occur more often than thought.

The study authors analyzed the electron showers in the Van Allen belts using data from two satellites, the size of a bread loaf, and the Time History.

The team was able to detect electron rain events in great detail. The data showed that the electron downpours were caused by whistler waves, a type of low-frequency radio wave that comes from lightning strikes.

The researchers found that these waves can cause electrons in the Van Allen belts to spill over and rain down on the lower atmosphere. Satellite data shows that these rains can occur more often than previously thought, and they can become more prevalent during solar storms.

Current space weather models do not account for whistler-wave-generated electron showers, according to the researchers. High-energy charged particles can damage satellites and pose a danger to astronauts. Scientists can update their models to better protect the people and machines that spend their time high above our planet if they understand the source of electron rain.

It was originally published on Live Science.