A new research unveiled the reason for the strange stability of solar spots on the unstable surface of the sun.
Since Galileo watched them for the first time with their telescope, in the early seventeenth century, sun spots fascinate scientists. These dark spots on the surface of the sun may persist for days or even months, but so far researchers could not explain completely why they remained stable for such long periods.
One published on Astronomy & Astrophysics finally resolved this centenary puzzle. An international team of scientists, led by researchers from the Germany’s Solar Physics Institute, has developed a new revolutionary method for Analyze the stability of solar spotswhich reveals the delicate balance that maintains these solar characteristics intact.
Solar spots are regions where the magnetic field of the sun is strong, comparable to the magnetic field of a hospital magnetic resonance imaging machine, but covering a area larger than land itself. These concentrations of magnetic field appear as dark spots because they are colder than the surrounding solar surface, but in fact a sun stain at the distance of the sun, but isolated from the rest of the disc, would shine more intensely than the full moon!
The number of solar spots Follows a 11 -year cyclereaching the peak of activity when solar storms are more likely to occur. During these periods, unstable magnetic configurations near the solar spots can trigger explosive events called coronal mass ejections and solar eruptions. These spatial climatic events may disturb satellite communications and, in extreme cases, cause failures in the Earth’s power grid.
Solar spots have long been suspected to remain stable due to a balance between gases pressure and magnetic forces. However, proof of this balance has been challenging due to atmospheric disturbances that interfere with the terrestrial observations of the magnetic field of the sun.
The research team has made a crucial advance by improving a technique originally developed at the Max Planck Institute for the investigation of the solar system in Germany. Your improved method Removes the distortion effects of the earthly atmosphere of observations made with the German solar telescope Gregor.
Using this refined technique, the researchers analyzed the polarized light emitted by the sun to measure magnetic forces inside the solar spots with unprecedented accuracy. Its measurements now achieve satellite quality results from terrestrial telescopes by a cost fraction.
The analysis revealed that the magnetic forces within the solar spots are perfectly balanced by the pressure forcesmaintaining a strict balance. This delicate balance explains why solar spots can survive during such long periods on the turbulent surface of the sun.
This discovery has significant practical applications. By understanding the accurate mechanisms that maintain stable sunscrees, scientists can predict when these solar characteristics become unstable and more likely to produce dangerous spatial events.
A better forecast of solar storms can help protect satellites, electrical networks and harmful radiation astronauts. As our society becomes increasingly dependent on satellite technology and electronic infrastructures, this investigation provides crucial information for protect modern life against the solar threats. It also represents a great advance in solar physics, combining advanced terrestrial observations with sophisticated analysis techniques to solve one of the oldest mysteries of astronomy.
