20 Oct 2025
“Observing Electric Currents in Space” was recently published in Progress in Physics. Rather than recite excerpts from his paper or a pre-prepared script, Michael Clarage’s narrative here is akin to a classroom presentation.
Evidence for electric currents in cosmic plasmas requires currents to be observed and data to indicate their presence. Examples are shown from active galactic nuclei, planetary magnetospheres, and plasma ejections from moons—with a path on how to analyze existing astrophysical data to reveal the presence of cosmic electric currents.
Electric currents are ubiquitous in cosmic plasmas, having been observed at the planetary, solar, interstellar, and galactic scale. Electric current flows in a coaxial form—its primary current flow matched by a surrounding return current, and potentially multiple reversals of current, such as in planetary polar currents.
Nature may be complex, but it’s not complicated—basic plasma physics is just as relevant in cosmic settings.
Astrophysicist Michael Clarage, PhD, presents a compelling argument that electric currents are alive and well in outer space.