"Stargate", "magnetic portals", vortices in space: science-fiction writers gave the concept of extraordinary about it corridors in space / time, all sorts of names to explain how travelers from distant regions of space, time or both categories come to Earth. However, this is only a trick of science fiction to tell a good story, right?

It turns out that they exist, although the discovery, as they say, is in its infancy. Funded by NASA researcher from the University of Iowa understood how to find them.

The news just published NASA confirms that all "dreamers from science fiction" is not dreamers, in the end.

"We call them X-points or areas of the electron diffusion", explains plasma physics Jack Scudder ( Scudder) from the University of Iowa. "They occur in places where the Earth's magnetic field is connected with the magnetic field of the Sun, creating a continuous path from our own planet to the sun's atmosphere 93 million miles from here."

The report NASA: "Observation spacecraft NASA's THEMIS and the European grouping Cluster" suggest that these magnetic portals opened and closed dozens of times every day. They are usually located in several tens of thousands of miles from Earth, where the geomagnetic field responds coming solar wind. Most portals are small and short-lived, others "yawning, and sustainable. Tons of energetic particles can pass through the holes, warming the upper layers of the earth's atmosphere, causing geomagnetic storms and lights bright auroras ".

"NASA is planning a mission called MMS ", abbreviated Magnetospheric multi-level mission (Magnetospheric Multiscale), and will launch in 2014 for studying this phenomenon. Armed with detectors of energetic particles and magnetic sensors, four spacecraft MMS will rotate in the magnetosphere of the Earth and surrounded by portals, watching how they work".

There is only one problem: to find them. Magnetic portals are invisible, fragile and elusive. They are opened and closed without warning ", and there are no signs to lead us in them" - said Scudder. In fact, there are pointers, and Scudder found them.

Portals are formed in the process of magnetic reconnection. Magnetic lines of force of the Sun and Earth mingling crosswise and when combined, create holes. "X-point" is formed, where the crossing. Suddenly attached magnetic fields can result in the movement of streams of charged particles from X-point, creating "an area of electron diffusion".

To learn how to define these events, Scudder looked data space probe, which circled the Earth for more than 10 years ago. "In the late 1990's, the Polar spacecraft NASA spent several years in the magnetosphere of the Earth" - explains Scudder, - "and he faced a lot of X-points during his mission".

"Using these data, we found five simple combinations of the magnetic field. And measurement of particles of energy told us, when we are faced with X-point or area of the electron diffusion". Only the ship, with reliable technical base, can make these measurements " - says Scudder.

"This means that one member of the group of MMS using the diagnostics, you may find the portal and to inform other members of the mission. Mission planning long thought that MMS may have to spend a year or so learning to find portals, before she is able to study them. The work of Scudder opened the process shortest way, enabling MMS to start work without delay ", the report says NASA.

Author Diane Tessman