New research sheds light on the sun's magnetic field, revealing that it originates just 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometers) beneath the surface—a significant shift from the previously estimated 130,000 miles. This breakthrough could revolutionize how we forecast extreme solar storms, such as those that recently impacted Earth.
The sun's magnetic energy is the powerhouse behind solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which can create breathtaking auroras but also disrupt power grids and communication systems on our planet.
\"We still don't understand the sun well enough to make accurate predictions\" of space weather, said Geoffrey Vasil, the lead author from the University of Edinburgh. His team’s findings, published in the journal Nature, mark a crucial step toward unraveling the complexities of the solar dynamo—a mysterious process that drives the sun’s magnetic activity.
Historically, astronomers like Galileo, who first studied sunspots in the early 1600s, have sought to understand the sun's behavior. Modern advancements have allowed Vasil and his international team to develop new models of the sun’s magnetic fields and plasma flows, using a NASA supercomputer to validate their calculations. Their models suggest a shallower magnetic layer than previously thought, though further research is needed to confirm these results.
While some experts, like Ellen Zweibel from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, describe the modeling as \"highly simplified,\" they acknowledge that the findings are promising and likely to inspire future studies.
Improved knowledge of the sun’s magnetic structure is timely, as the sun approaches the peak of its current 11-year activity cycle—bringing more frequent and intense solar flares. Earlier this month, a major solar flare almost hit Earth, but fortunately, it missed our planet. With better forecasting capabilities, scientists aim to prepare for potentially more powerful storms that could have significant real-world impacts.
\"Understanding the sun better ensures we are prepared for when the next storm—potentially much more dangerous—hits Earth,\" added Daniel Lecoanet of Northwestern University, co-author of the study.
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New study on sun's magnetic field may improve solar storm forecasts
cgtn.com
