Rare Blue Aurora in Japan Challenges Existing Atmospheric Theories

Citizen science and research reveal an unexplained mechanism behind nitrogen ions in Earth's upper atmosphere.

A rare blue-dominant aurora was observed over Japan during a geomagnetic storm on May 11, 2024, reaching altitudes of 400–900 km.
Researchers analyzed smartphone videos and photos from citizen scientists to study the aurora's unique longitudinal structures aligned with magnetic field lines.
Traditional explanations involving the ring current and energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) fail to fully account for the observed phenomenon.
Findings suggest nitrogen molecular ions were accelerated upward through an unidentified process, challenging current atmospheric science models.
Further study of similar blue auroras could provide insights into geomagnetic storms and the behavior of nitrogen ions at high altitudes.