Space tornado
{{short description|Solar windstorm}}
A space tornado is a solar windstorm and is exceptionally larger and more powerful than conventional tornadoes on Earth.{{cite news|last=Ravilious|first=Kate|title=Giant "Space Tornadoes" Spark Auroras on Earth|url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/04/090424-space-tornadoes-auroras.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427141621/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/04/090424-space-tornadoes-auroras.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 27, 2009|accessdate=22 July 2013|newspaper=National Geographic News|date=24 April 2009}}{{cite web|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17013-giant-space-tornadoes-create-earths-auroras/|title=Giant space tornadoes create Earth's auroras|author=Michael Books|publisher=NewScientist|date=23 April 2009|accessdate=5 March 2021}} They are also thought to produce the aurora borealis phenomenon.{{cite news|title="Space tornadoes" cause Northern Lights, claim scientists|url=http://www.sindhtoday.net/technology/90684.htm|accessdate=22 July 2013|newspaper=Sindh Today|date=24 April 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426012022/http://www.sindhtoday.net/technology/90684.htm|archivedate=26 April 2009}}
Tornadoes on Earth are formed within the atmosphere by thunderstorms, while space tornadoes are formed by plasma interacting with magnetic fields.
Characteristics
Space tornadoes are made up of plasmas, consisting of extremely hot ionized gases that rotate at extremely high speeds, some recorded at over {{Convert|1,000,000|mph|km/h}}. Within its funnel, they also generate strong electrical currents of about 100,000 amperes. Observations show some reach up to {{convert|9,300|mi|km}} in size then will produce miniature space tornadoes stretching around {{convert|60|to|90|mi|km}} wide and more than {{convert|125|mi|km}} long.{{cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/taking-a-spin-on-plasma-space-tornadoes-with-nasa-observations |title=Taking a Spin on Plasma Space Tornadoes With NASA Observations |work=NASA |date=17 November 2017 |access-date=5 March 2020}} Space tornadoes form roughly every three hours and take only a minute to reach the ionosphere.{{cite web|url=https://www.thoughtco.com/all-about-space-tornadoes-3444198|title=Space Tornadoes|author=Rachelle Oblack|publisher=ThoughtCo.|date=18 March 2017|accessdate=5 March 2021}} Power transformers and other man-made constructs are susceptible to damage from space tornadoes.{{Cite web|url=http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/04/23_keiling.shtml|title=04.23.2009 - THEMIS mission tracks electrical tornadoes in space|website=www.berkeley.edu|date=23 April 2009|access-date=18 November 2016}}
Discovery
{{Main|THEMIS}}
Much of what is understood about space tornadoes was obtained through a NASA mission called Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS), which deployed several probes to measure the strength of the electrical currents, size, and velocity of the rotating plasma.{{Cite news|title = Space tornadoes drive Earthly auroras|date = 24 April 2009|url = http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/space-tornadoes-drive-earthly-auroras/|work = COSMOS|accessdate = 24 July 2013|publisher = Cosmos Media Ltd}}
See also
{{Portalbar|Astronomy|Space|Weather}}