Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School students and Orbyts Fellow Dr William Dunn from UCL Physics and Astronomy have embarked on a dual mission to explore the captivating dance of Jupiter's auroras. Through meticulous analysis of light curve graphs, solar wind propagation data, and X-ray observations from ESA’s XMM-Newton and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, they've uncovered intriguing patterns that shed light on the underlying mechanisms behind these celestial spectacles.

The team's analysis revealed distinct families of x-ray peaks within the auroral light curves, suggesting a correlation between solar wind activity and auroral intensity. They identified a prominent ‘triangular’ peak shape, which appears to be associated with specific solar wind conditions. Additionally, the students' meticulous examination of solar wind data revealed three distinct types at Jupiter during the observations: fast solar wind, slow solar wind, and solar storms. Each of these wind types seems to have a different impact on Jupiter's auroral displays.

A particularly exciting finding is the potential link between solar storms and the intensification of Jupiter's auroras. The students' analysis suggests that these powerful bursts of solar energy may trigger enhanced auroral activity, leading to more spectacular displays. Further, they found that prominent auroral bursts often coincided with CMEs.

This comprehensive research marks a step forward in our understanding of Jupiter's auroras. By unraveling the complex interplay between solar winds and the Jovian magnetosphere, we can gain valuable insights into the fundamental processes that drive these breathtaking phenomena.