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Scientists at Northwestern University in the US have discovered that the Sun's magnetic field forms near the surface, providing the answer to a 400-year-old mystery that Galileo Galilei initially investigated.
Hey magnetic field to sun Forms form closer to the surface, according to new research conducted by scientists at Northwestern University, in Illinois, in the United States. The results bring the solution to A puzzle 400 years, initially investigated by Galileo Galilei.
The study was published in the journal Nature last Wednesday (22).
Since the Sun's magnetic activity was first observed, Astronomy scientists I faced challenges in determining where to start this process.
After many complex calculations in one Supercomputer from NASAScientists discovered that the magnetic field is formed at a depth of about 32.1 kilometers below the surface of the sun, and it was believed in previous theories that the phenomenon began at a lower distance than that, i.e. approximately 210 kilometers.
Why does the Earth revolve around the sun and not the other way around?
The researchers' findings could improve understanding of solar processes, as well as help in new predictions Solar storms Powerful with greater precision.
despite of Northern lights Be a natural scene LandSolar storms can also cause serious damage SatellitesElectrical networks and radio communications systems.
History of the puzzle
For centuries, astronomers have studied the Sun's magnetic activity, and Galileo documented the first detailed observations of sunspots in 1612.
Despite advances in understanding the solar dynamo (the physical process that generates the magnetic field), there are still limitations in understanding. Theories that suggest a deep origin for the dynamo do not explain observed features, such as strong magnetic fields at high latitudes.
The researchers developed a new numerical simulation that takes into account torsional oscillations, which are periodic patterns of gas and plasma flow in the Sun. Unlike Earth, the star does not rotate as a single body, and its rotation varies according to latitude. These oscillations, like the solar magnetic cycle, follow an 11-year cycle.
“Traditional solar magnetic field theory does not explain the source of these torsional oscillations. One interesting piece of evidence is that they occur only near the surface of the Sun. Our hypothesis is that the magnetic cycle and torsional oscillations are different manifestations of the same physical process,” Daniel Lequanette said in a press release.
According to the study, the numerical simulations were carried out by Kyle Ogston, a postdoctoral fellow in the Lecoanet Laboratory at Northwestern University. With the results, the researchers came to the conclusion that the new model provided a quantitative explanation for the properties observed in torsional oscillations.
The model also explains how sunspots track the patterns of the Sun's magnetic activity, details that traditional theory does not take into account.
Source: Byte Editorial
