Categories: Technology

Researchers Uncover New Discoveries About the Sun’s Magnetic Field

Did you know that the Sun has a magnetic field, just like the Earth? Since the time of Galileo Galilei, attempts have been made to discover its depth.

In a study published in the journal Nature, researchers from the University of Edinburgh with participation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recently discovered that the Sun’s magnetic field, which causes sunspots and flares, is not as deep as previously thought. This magnetic field forms near the surface of the Sun, at a depth of about 64,000 kilometers, as it is generated only in the outer 10% of the superheated solar plasma.

With the help of a NASA supercomputer, scientists have discovered that these phenomena occurring on the surface of the Sun are called; “Sunspots” and “solar flares” (flares or coronal mass ejections) can only be the product of a shallow magnetic field.

“Sunspots” are dark, cool spots on the surface of the Sun that form when magnetic field lines intertwine. Similar to the terms “Solar Eruptions” or “Solar Flares”, they are explosions of energy coming from the Sun. These eruptions can release a lot of energy and cause coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are explosions of solar matter into space.

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How is the Sun’s magnetic field created?

The Sun generates its magnetic field through a process called the “Solar Dynamo”, which begins in a part of the Sun called convection, below the visible surface of the Sun (the photosphere). Hot plasma located in the Sun’s core rises, carrying heat and energy to its surface (the photosphere), cools, and then sinks again, creating a circulatory motion that helps transport energy from the core to its surface.

We offer: They discovered a strange storm that is changing the Earth’s magnetic field

What’s the progress?

Although other research groups have created a 3D model of the Sun to determine the origin of its magnetic field. It is believed that the results reflected above regarding the point of origin varied due to the chaotic and turbulent nature of the Sun.

For this reason, in contrast to models previously used to determine the origin of the Sun’s magnetic field, scientist Burns and his team focused on analyzing the stability of plasma on the Sun’s surface using a process called “helioseismology”; It measures sound waves that travel through the Sun and cause changes called “stellarquakes”, determining whether changes in the region will be sufficient to start the Solar Dynamo process.

The discovery could provide greater confidence in solar flares and geomagnetic storms that pose risks to Earth’s satellites, communications systems and electrical infrastructure, as well as revealing an interesting connection between how the Sun and black holes work.