Beyond Auroras: Unraveling the Enigma of ‘Steve’ and the Picket Fence Phenomena

Skywatchers have long been captivated by the enchanting dance of lights known as auroras, but the celestial wonders don’t end there. Enter “Steve” and the “picket fence” – two mysterious atmospheric phenomena resembling auroras but holding distinct characteristics that set them apart.
While traditional auroras display mesmerizing light waves, Steve and the picket fence add a nuanced layer to skywatching. Though they share an ethereal appearance with auroras, these phenomena are not classified as traditional auroras, making them a unique and captivating spectacle for enthusiasts.
First recognized in 2018 as separate from common auroras, Steve, humorously named after a benign character in a children’s movie, and its associated picket fence have puzzled scientists regarding the processes causing these glowing emissions. Claire Gasque, a graduate student in physics at the University of California, Berkeley, has proposed a novel explanation for these phenomena that differs from the mechanisms behind traditional auroras.
Teaming up with researchers at the campus’s Space Sciences Laboratory, Gasque is advocating for a NASA rocket launch into the heart of the aurora to test her proposed explanation. As solar storms and coronal mass ejections become more frequent during the sun’s active 11-year cycle, studying rare events like Steve and the picket fence becomes increasingly feasible.
The physical explanation for the picket fence, described by Gasque in a recent paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, adds to the intrigue surrounding these atmospheric wonders. The upcoming American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco on December 14 will feature Gasque’s discussion of the findings, shedding light on the enigmatic Steve and the picket fence phenomena.”
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