The Radiation Belts are clouds of high energy particles that surround the Earth, held in place by the Earth's magnetic field. They are associated with geomagnetic storms and auroras near the Earth's poles.

Pictures of auroras and other events

Geomagnetic storms are major temporary disturbances of the Earth's magnetosphere caused by a disturbance in the interplanetary medium or a solar wind shock wave. Geomagnetic storms are major components of space weather and during their main phase charged particles are energized and injected deeper into the inner magnetosphere.