When high-energy electrons and ions from the sun hit Earth ’ s upper atmosphere , they can excite atoms and create fantastic colours - which we see on the ground as auroras . And now a study has claimed that we could create our own auroras , by firing a particle accelerator into the sky from space . The intriguing research says that a beam fired from the machine would create artificial auroras – and it could even create lightning in the atmosphere . Scientists in California have described how to create artificial auroras on Earth . They said a particle accelerator could be sent 185 miles ( 300km ) up into space ( illustration of a satellite in orbit shown ) . It would then fire high-energy beams back at Earth 's atmosphere . The study , published in the Journal of Geophysical Research , was picked up by Mark Zastrow from Eos . The accelerator being proposed would be three times stronger than anything like it before , producing a beam with particles 0.5 to 10 million electron volts . Pulses of the beam would last just 0.1 microseconds . The accelerator would be located in space , 185 miles ( 300km ) above the ground , and would fire back towards Earth 's atmosphere . There are two types of auroras on Earth - the Aurora Borealis in the Northern Hemisphere , known as the Northern Lights , and the Aurora Australis in the Southern Hemisphere , known as the Southern Lights . Auroras occur when highly charged electrons from the solar wind collide with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen in the earth 's atmosphere at altitudes from 20 to 200 miles ( 32 to 320km ) above the planet ’ s surface . The interactions between the charged particles give off light . Auroral displays appear in many colours : red , yellow , green , blue , and violet . The color of the aurora depends on which atom is struck , and the altitude of the meeting . The common green hue is caused by colliding oxygen molecules at altitudes of up to 150 miles ( 240km ) . It would be based on a instrument called the Compact Particle Accelerator for Space Science ( Compass ) , which is being developed by the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and SRI International , both in California . ‘ The authors say that employing such instrumentation would offer many scientific opportunities to study the behaviour of particles in the upper atmosphere , ’ wrote Mr Zastrow . ‘ The paths of the electrons would trace out the arcing field lines of Earth ’ s magnetic field , illustrating how they bend and snap during the intense geomagnetic activity caused by solar storms . ‘ As they descend into the Earth ’ s atmosphere , some of the electrons would strike atmospheric molecules , producing visible aurora-like emission. ’ He added that the beam might even be able to trigger different forms of lightning , including red sprites and blue jets . For now the idea is only a concept , and there are no concrete plans to build it . But the team says that by proving it works , it could be a step towards actually making it . There are two types of auroras on Earth - the Aurora Borealis in the Northern Hemisphere , known as the Northern Lights , and the Aurora Australis in the Southern Hemisphere , known as the Southern Lights . Shown is the Aurora Borealis above the Snaefellsnes Peninsula in Iceland . It would not be the first experiment with Earth ’ s atmosphere , though . In Alaska there is an ionospheric research programmed called the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program ( Haarp ) . Haarp is jointly funded by the US Air Force , the US Navy , the University of Alaska , and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency ( Darpa ) . It was established to analyse the ionosphere - a region of the upper atmosphere - and investigate the development of ionospheric enhancement technology for radio communications and surveillance . In Alaska there is already an ionospheric research programmed called the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program ( Haarp ) , pictured . It was established to analyse the ionosphere - a region of the upper atmosphere - and investigate the development of ionospheric enhancement technology . The station regularly uses a tool called the Ionospheric Research Instrument ( IRI ) , a high-power radio frequency transmitter facility operating in the high frequency band . It is used to temporarily excite a limited area of the Ionosphere . Haarp has been the subject of numerous unfounded conspiracy theories . It has been blamed for hurricanes , thunderstorms , major power outages and more , but no convincing evidence supports any of the claims .
Scientists in California described how to create artificial auroras on Earth . They said a particle accelerator could be sent 185 miles up into space . It would then fire high-energy beams back at Earth 's atmosphere . This would create auroras to study - and even types of lightning .