The universe can reveal strikingly similar patterns ranging from the smallest cells to the largest galaxies. Now, two newly conducted studies have found Kelvin-Helmholtz waves at the boundaries of near-earth space, suggesting that they might be far more common than previously thought.

According to experts when a solar wind rushes by it creates the shape of classic surfer waves known as Kelvin-Helmholtz waves to scientists.

Scientists first started to identify the pattern as Kelvin-Helmholtz waves in the 1800s, but now it has been found that people have been noticing these waves even before that.

The pair of NASA studies has revealed that these waves are found to be much more common outside the boundaries of earth than previously thought.

Researchers earlier were aware that these waves showed up, they had even spotted them in the atmospheres around other planets. But researchers using advanced instruments were able to better see what’s going in our magnetosphere and plasmasphere. They also found that Kelvin-Helmholtz waves have been present over both the layers.

According to experts these Kelvin-Helmholtz waves shows up when two fluids move past each other in a way that they make that boundary suddenly unstable. These waves also get generated when solar winds strike earth’s protective magnetosphere.

Researchers said these waves might cause the magnetosphere to be charged with plasma, affecting its ability to protect life on earth from the sun’s direct radiation.

Scientists so far aren't sure whether such waves can trigger space weather events near our home planet.