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Scientists capture first-ever cosmic dynamo in action near Earth
- Astronomers report the first direct observation of a natural cosmic dynamo in near-Earth space, confirming a key process in magnetic field generation.
- The study, published in Nature Communications, points to a turbulent small-scale dynamo inside the magnetosheath where the solar wind meets Earth's field.
- NASA’s MMS mission provided a 3D view by flying four spacecraft in a precise formation to measure plasma flows and magnetic fields.
- Researchers observed magnetic fields being stretched, twisted and folded by turbulent plasma motions in near-Earth space.
- The team’s findings align with decades of theoretical predictions and simulations, providing concrete space-based evidence.
- Dr Owen Roberts of Aberystwyth University described the result as extraordinary and a bridge between lab work and space observations.
- The discovery helps explain how magnetic fields are generated and sustained across the universe, including planets, stars, and galaxies.
- The magnetosheath boundary region offers a natural laboratory to study space plasma under conditions hard to reproduce on Earth.
- The study used measurements of how turbulence affects magnetic field strength during dynamo action.
- The discovery was published in Nature Communications, marking a milestone in space plasma physics.
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