Astronomers have recorded a powerful explosion on the surface Of the sun unlike anything they have ever seen. Despite the fact that the existence of such explosions was supposed by experts 15 years ago, observation of one of them took place only now. The observations were made by astrophysicists from NASA in the Solar Dynamic observatory (SDO) on the latest equipment. Researchers have witnessed an eruption on the surface of the Sun, as a result of which the magnetic fields of the star were torn, and then reunited, which led to an unprecedented magnetic explosion. The work was published in the journal, The astrophysical journal.
Researchers have recorded the most powerful solar flare
Scientists observed the explosion in the outer atmosphere Of the sun – the crown. As a result of the eruption, an emission of matter occurred in the form of a prominence – a dense fountain of hot gas that rises and holds on the surface of a star.
What caused the magnetic explosion?
CNN News informs how the eruption was the cause of the magnetic explosion. It should be noted that understanding this phenomenon can help scientists better understand the atmosphere of the Sun, as well as predict space weather. Researchers believe that the eruption was caused by a continuous stream of plasma or charged gas, which collides with magnetic fields and causes them to reunite. This phenomenon is called magnetic reconnection and is well known to specialists. However, earlier researchers observed only spontaneous reconnection on the Sun, and not forced.
The lines of the magnetic field on the Sun are invisible, but they are exposed to superheated charged plasma particles nearby. Thanks to the latest tools from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, astronomers have been able to focus on plasma observation. Researchers note that the temperature at the epicenter of the explosion reached 1 to 2 million degrees Celsius, which is twice the temperature at the epicenter of a nuclear explosion.
Solar activity determines the weather in the solar system
Mystery of the Solar Crown
It’s no secret that the weather in the solar system depends on the sun. The set of physical processes that begin on the Sun ultimately affect all living things and technology on Earth. One of the most fascinating puzzles in astrophysics is the atmosphere of the Sun (in particular, the corona), which is millions of degrees hotter than the star itself. NASA Parker will be trying to solve the mystery of the solar corona right now, getting closer and closer to our native star.
Recall that Parker was developed by NASA directly for immersion in the solar corona. The probe is protected by an ultra-powerful heat shield that can withstand unprecedented levels of heat and radiation, 500 times the level of radiation on Earth. Researchers hope Parker will provide an unprecedented opportunity to explore the corona, solar wind, and geomagnetic storms that could be the cause of this, during its seven-year mission.
