Tag

Solar Physics

All articles tagged with #solar physics

Magnetic Avalanches Trigger Solar Flares, New Solar Orbiter View Reveals
science1 month ago

Magnetic Avalanches Trigger Solar Flares, New Solar Orbiter View Reveals

ESA's Solar Orbiter captured high-cadence observations showing solar flares arise from avalanche-like magnetic reconnection: a weak disturbance spawns a cascade of twisted field strands that rapidly reconnect, creating bright ribbons, fast plasma outflows up to ~400 km/s, and continued plasma rain after the flare, implying energy moves from magnetic fields to solar plasma and this avalanche mechanism may be common across flares.

Debunking the Myth: Is the Sun a Dwarf Star?
science2 months ago

Debunking the Myth: Is the Sun a Dwarf Star?

The sun is technically classified as a G2V main-sequence star, often called a dwarf star, but it is much larger than what is typically considered a dwarf star. It is a yellow, hydrogen-fusing star that will eventually become a red giant in about 5 billion years. Despite its name, the sun appears yellow due to atmospheric scattering, and it is the largest object in our solar system.

Scientists Uncover Explanation for Rain on the Sun
science4 months ago

Scientists Uncover Explanation for Rain on the Sun

Researchers at the University of Hawai'i have discovered that the mysterious rain on the Sun, composed of superheated plasma, is influenced by shifting flows of elements like iron, silicon, and magnesium in the Sun's corona. This finding helps explain the rapid formation of coronal rain and suggests new insights into solar atmospheric dynamics and coronal heating. The study challenges previous models assuming constant elemental distribution and opens avenues for further research into solar phenomena.