Enlarge Image Light show. Auroral displays reveal the interaction between the solar wind particles and nitrogen molecules in Earth's upper atmosphere. Credit: NASA Scientists trying to confirm a long-standing model of atmospheric physics have inadvertently shaken one of the foundations of the field. New tests show that the model, used to interpret energy emissions in Earth's upper atmosphere, is seriously flawed. The findings should help researchers build a better picture of how our planet interacts with solar radiation and the particle stream called the solar wind, and they may give a similar boost to studies of the atmosphere on...