Stunning images reveal ‘whirlpools’ swirling across the sun
Scientists confirmed the long-predicted phenomenon for the first time, a discovery that could shed new light on explosive solar activity.
Earth’s moon is capable of totally eclipsing the sun. This same phenomenon can also occur on other planets in our solar system.
Stunning new images revealed a groundbreaking discovery in solar physics: whirlpool-like patterns on the sun’s surface.
Using the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, “the world’s most powerful solar telescope,” scientists discovered small, swirling patterns on the sun’s surface. These “whirlpools” are caused by Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability (KHI), a finding that could explain solar activity and phenomena.
The discovery was shared by the NSF National Solar Observatory (NSO) in a news release and detailed in a paper published in Nature.
The highest-resolution image of the Sun's surface (photosphere) ever captured, taken at 416 nm by the Inouye Solar Telescope. It reveals deformed boundaries of magnetic elements and ultra-fine scale stripes, both associated with Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. (Credit: NSF/NSO/AURA/MPS)
International researchers used the telescope, which was built and operated by NSO on Maui, Hawaii, to capture footage of the “dynamic swirls” at the edges of magnetic areas on the sun’s surface, also known as photosphere. The finding marks the first experimental confirmation of KHI in the photosphere, supporting long-standing scientific predictions.
“We believe that the discovery of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in the solar photosphere is a major step forward in our understanding of the dynamics and evolution of solar and stellar plasma, and will serve as a basis for future discoveries,” Dr. David Boboltz, Deputy Director at the National Solar Observatory, said in the release.
The highest-resolution image of the Sun’s surface (photosphere) ever captured, taken at 416 nm by the Inouye Solar Telescope. It reveals deformed boundaries of magnetic elements and ultra-fine scale stripes, both associated with Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. (Credit: NSF/NSO/AURA/MPS)
KHI occurs when two fluids slide past each other at different velocities, resulting in a “shear” at the boundary, according to NSO. This causes small movements to grow into whirlpools, or vortices, which the organization compared to breaking ocean waves. The swirling motion may transport energy upward and contribute to heating the sun’s corona.
The vortices may also explain explosive activity on the sun. Researchers said they could be a source of free magnetic energy that fuels major solar activity, such as coronal mass ejections and flares. These events can impact power grids, GPS, satellites and other technology on Earth, as well as produce vivid displays of the aurora.
An image of the solar surface captured by the Inouye Solar Telescope at an unprecedented spatial resolution of ~19 km. Zoomed-in panels reveal the first observations of Kelvin–Helmholtz instability patterns at the solar surface. (Credit: NSF/NSO/AURA/MPS)
In the Nature study, researchers compared the Inouye observations with computer simulations of the photosphere, which reveal findings that are difficult or impossible to spot solely from observation. The scientists found dozens of similar vortexlike structures in both the simulations and observations, confirming that the sun has the conditions to generate KHI.
Scientists explained that this discovery is only the beginning, as more research is needed to understand how the sun builds up magnetic energy. The next step is to use automated computer programs and Inouye data to determine how much the whirlpools contribute to heating the sun’s atmosphere and spreading its magnetic fields.
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