Science Sapphics Unite!

We still consider them hard sciences because we believe there's underlying, unseen principles which would cause things to make sense (like the theory of relativity did), but can't that kind of ruleset apply to any science?

The thing is, science is always going to be slightly nebulous and not always be perfect, because it's in the nature of discovery that when you find something new, you won't understand it right away. There may be a day we have a level of understanding of economics, psychology, or sociology where those fields have a level of accuracy that is even greater than that of quantum physics.

We have an aquatic announcement from our overseas colleagues who are partnering with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC for short). JAMSTEC is a scientific research institute dedicated to an integrated understanding of the Oceans, the Earth, and Life, all while contributing to the advancement of academic research. That means JAMSTEC and the Splatoon 2 game are both anchored around the key themes of the ocean and the deep sea.

In fact, the gear you can get in Salmon Run this month is the Oceanic Hard Hat, an in-game replica helmet like the one JAMSTEC staff and scientists wear every day, offering protection for their hard work offshore.

Another fun fact is that the Autobomb sub-weapon in the Splatoon 2 game took some design inspiration from a JAMSTEC research vehicle called SHINKAI 6500. Completed in 1990, SHINKAI 6500 is a manned submersible that can dive to depths of 6,500 meters.

In the upcoming Octo Expansion DLC, SHINKAI 6500 will even make an appearance, as mysteries still remain in the deep-sea world of Inklings.

Glowing in mostly purple and green colors, a newly discovered celestial phenomenon is sparking the interest of scientists, photographers and astronauts. The display was initially discovered by a group of citizen scientists who took pictures of the unusual lights and playfully named them “Steve.”

When scientists got involved and learned more about these purples and greens, they wanted to keep the name as an homage to its initial name and citizen science discoverers. Now it is STEVE, short for Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement.

Credit: ©Megan Hoffman

STEVE occurs closer to the equator than where most aurora appear – for example, Southern Canada – in areas known as the sub-auroral zone. Because auroral activity in this zone is not well researched, studying STEVE will help scientists learn about the chemical and physical processes going on there. This helps us paint a better picture of how Earth’s magnetic fields function and interact with charged particles in space. Ultimately, scientists can use this information to better understand the space weather near Earth, which can interfere with satellites and communications signals.

Want to become a citizen scientist and help us learn more about STEVE? You can submit your photos to a citizen science project called Aurorasaurus, funded by NASA and the National Science Foundation. Aurorasaurus tracks appearances of auroras – and now STEVE – around the world through reports and photographs submitted via a mobile app and on aurorasaurus.org.

Here are six tips from what we have learned so far to help you spot STEVE:

1. STEVE is a very narrow arc, aligned East-West, and extends for hundreds or thousands of miles.

Credit: ©Megan Hoffman 

2. STEVE mostly emits light in purple hues. Sometimes the phenomenon is accompanied by a short-lived, rapidly evolving green picket fence structure (example below).

Credit: ©Megan Hoffman 

3. STEVE can last 20 minutes to an hour.

4. STEVE appears closer to the equator than where normal – often green – auroras appear. It appears approximately 5-10° further south in the Northern hemisphere. This means it could appear overhead at latitudes similar to Calgary, Canada. The phenomenon has been reported from the United Kingdom, Canada, Alaska, northern US states, and New Zealand.

5. STEVE has only been spotted so far in the presence of an aurora (but auroras often occur without STEVE). Scientists are investigating to learn more about how the two phenomena are connected. 

6. STEVE may only appear in certain seasons. It was not observed from October 2016 to February 2017. It also was not seen from October 2017 to February 2018.

Credit: ©Megan Hoffman 

STEVE (and aurora) sightings can be reported at www.aurorasaurus.org or with the Aurorasaurus free mobile apps on Android and iOS. Anyone can sign up, receive alerts, and submit reports for free.

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