23rd August 2024 (8 Topics)

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Sunspot’s Magnetic Field

Context

The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) is conducting a detailed study of the magnetic fields associated with sunspots to address the longstanding problem of coronal heating and to gain deeper insights into the solar wind. This research, conducted at the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, aims to improve understanding of the physical mechanisms driving these solar phenomena.

Key-highlights of the Study

The Indian Institute of Astrophysics is focusing on sunspots' magnetic fields to investigate their role in solar phenomena.
Solar Wind and Coronal Heating: The study seeks to resolve the coronal heating problem, where the Sun's outer atmosphere (the corona) is unexpectedly hotter than the Sun's surface (the photosphere).
The solar wind, a stream of charged particles emitted by the Sun, is driven by magnetic fields. By analyzing how these magnetic fields operate, researchers aim to clarify the mechanisms that heat the corona and contribute to the solar wind.
Observations and Techniques: Researchers are utilizing data from spectral lines, specifically Hydrogen-alpha and Calcium II 8662 Å, to assess the magnetic fields at various heights in the solar atmosphere.
- The Hydrogen-alpha line is particularly useful for studying the chromospheric magnetic field during events like solar flares due to its reduced sensitivity to temperature fluctuations.

Fact Box: Sun’s Magnetic Field

Sunspots

Sunspots are regions on the Sun's surface with intense magnetic activity, which influence the Sun's overall magnetic field.
Understanding these magnetic fields is crucial for explaining how energy is transported from the Sun's inner layers to its outer atmosphere.

Sun’s Magnetic Field

Magnetic fields are produced in the Sun by the flow of electrically charged ions and electrons.
Sunspots are places where very intense magnetic lines of force break through the Sun's surface.
The sunspot cycle results from the recycling of magnetic fields by the flow of material in the interior.

Solar Coronal Heating

The coronal heating problem in solar physics relates to the question of why the temperature of the Sun's corona is millions of kelvins versus the thousands of kelvins of the surface.
The corona's average temperature is 1–3 × 10 K, but it can reach temperatures as high as 10 K during solar flares.
The exact cause of this heating is a mystery that has puzzled scientists for centuries.

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Sunspot’s Magnetic Field

Key-highlights of the Study

Fact Box: Sun’s Magnetic Field

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