Scientist Say They Now Know How an Aurora Occurs - Newser

"In order to surf, you need to paddle up to the right speed for an ocean wave to pick you up and accelerate you, and we found that electrons were surfing

If they were moving with the right speed relative to the wave, they would get picked up and accelerated." Scientists didn’t get to see the full effect—they just proved the wave theory works but did not create a light show

And while this might someday help predict the appearance of an aurora, that, too, is a long way off