Professor Jim Schroeder (Wheaton College, IL) and Professor Gregory Howes presented the results from their recently published Nature Communications paper, "Laboratory measurements of the physics of auroral electron acceleration by Alfven waves" in a Press Briefing at the 238th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society. This exciting work uses laboratory experiments at UCLA's Large Plasma Device (LAPD) to demonstrate definitively that the physics of electrons surfing on Alfven waves can explain the energetic electrons that precipitate into the ionosphere and denerate discrete auroral arcs during geomagnetic storms.

The local CBS (KGAN) and Fox (KFXA) affiliates ran a news segment on the threat of solar flares and geomagnetic storms to our power grid, featuring a number of quotes from Gregory Howes.