New research shows that the Sun’s magnetic field originates near the surface, not deep inside the star, . This overturns decades of prevailing scientific thought that placed the field more than 130,000 miles below the sun’s surface. It also brings us closer to understanding the nature of the Sun’s magnetic field, something scientists have pondered since Galileo.
The study and a team of international researchers suggest that the magnetic field is actually generated 20,000 miles below the surface. This was discovered after the team carried out a series of complex calculations on NASA’s supercomputer. It is worth noting that these are only initial findings and that additional research is needed to confirm the data.
The Sun’s magnetic field fluctuates in a cycle that lasts 11 years. During the strongest part of this cycle, strong winds and sunspots form at the solar equator, along with the plumes of material they cause here on Earth. Previous theories that placed the magnetic field deeper inside the sun had difficulty connecting these different solar phenomena. Scientists hope that, with further research, they will be able to use this theory not only to explain how solar events occur, but also to more accurately predict when they will occur.
Every second, 1.5 million tons of solar material, traveling at 100 miles per second, ejects from the Sun. Earth’s magnetic field deflects most, but not all. The solar wind, a stream of charged particles, flows at a speed of 447 km/s (1 million mph), and while the magnetic field protects… pic.twitter.com/40CSNZYesU
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This could lead to more than earlier predictions of the next aurora event. The Sun’s intense magnetic energy is also the source of solar flares and plasma eruptions called coronal mass ejections. When these ejections travel towards Earth, all sorts of bad things happen. This famously happened in 1859, when a massive geomagnetic storm created the largest solar storm in recorded history.
This is attributed to British astronomer Richard Christopher Carrington. The solar flare, which was actually a magnetic explosion on the sun’s surface, briefly outshined the sun and caused colored lights to erupt across the planet, similar to the aurora borealis. It also charged the telegraph cables further, shocking the operators and setting the telegraph paper on fire. It was pretty nasty.
This was in 1859, before the modern use of electricity and before computers and all related technology. If something like the Carrington event were to happen today, . The emitted X-rays and ultraviolet light would interfere with electronics, radio and satellite signals. The event would cause a solar radiation storm, which would be deadly for astronauts not fully equipped with protective equipment.
It would also lead to a coronal mass ejection that would collide with the Earth’s magnetic field, cell phone satellites, modern cars and even airplanes. Global power outages could last for months. Last month’s small (relatively speaking) storm and it wasn’t a Carrington-sized event. Worse? We absolutely have to make it happen. It’s actually a ticking time bomb.
Thus, these discoveries could theoretically be used to prepare new early warning methods for large solar flares that hit Earth. One day we might have solar flare warnings along with hurricane warnings and the like. Research has already shown some interesting connections between sunspots and solar magnetic activity.
“We still don’t understand the sun well enough to make accurate predictions” of solar weather, lead study author Geoffrey Vasil of the University of Edinburgh . These new findings “will be an important step toward finally solving” this mysterious Northwestern University process.
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