In the shape of letters, scientists at the American space agency NASA have discovered strange structures flying in a part of the atmosphere above Earth. These structures, found through NASA's GOLD mission, resemble the letters "X" and "C" and are located in a layer of the atmosphere known as the ionosphere, positioned at an altitude of about 80 to 644 km above the planet's surface. According to CNN, the ionosphere allows for the long-distance transmission of radio signals, and these "strange structures" may interfere with communication signals and the Global Positioning System (GPS), potentially affecting operations on Earth.
"Improving communications"
Scientists suggest that this discovery "could help improve wireless communications and space weather predictions." NASA stated, "Who knew that Earth's upper atmosphere has such alphabet shapes?" Satellite data has not always captured the complete picture of what happens in the ionosphere, but the GOLD mission has been able to understand how various factors cause disturbances in the ionosphere. Jeffrey Kleinschmidt, a research scientist studying the ionosphere at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, noted that the mission's data helps scientists see "the complexity of Earth's atmosphere," revealing that it is more turbulent than expected.
This discovery may help to "understand the dynamics between the ionosphere and weather," and how these interactions may pose risks to people and systems on Earth. The discovery prompts researchers to question the potential effects of "X" and "C" on communication signals in the future.
