IOP Groups
Ionospherics
The solar wind working in combination with the Earth's magnetic field forms regions of plasma which are visible to the human eye. The Aurora Borealis gives dramatic displays in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere (hence the term Northern Lights). The invisible regions of the ionsophere are used to bounce High Frequency (tens of MegaHertz) radio waves between geographically distant places: this phenomenon permitted radio communication over relatively large distances when satellite and land line communication was not as well developed as it is today. One of the major problems with HF communication is that it is dependent on the weather - on the surface of the sun.
Links to relevant sites:
Leicester University Research
Aberystwyth University
Imperial College
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