NASA Study Reveals Superheating Mechanism of Solar Corona

• 11 May 2024

On May 2024, NASA, led by an Indian astronomer, identified the source of extreme heat in the solar corona, crucial for understanding space weather and its effects on Earth.

Key Points

• Impact of Solar Corona: NASA study sheds light on what heats the solar corona, essential for predicting space weather and its potential impacts on Earth.
• Moss-Like Structures: Similar to moss growing on wet rocks, the Sun's atmosphere exhibits patchy plasma structures known as "moss," crucial for understanding solar dynamics.
• Temperature Anomalies: Temperatures in the moss region soar to over 5.5 lakh degrees Celsius, significantly hotter than the layers below, posing a long-standing mystery.
• NASA's Observations: Combining data from Hi-C and IRIS missions, NASA scientists unveil the role of electrical currents in heating the moss region of the solar corona.
• Magnetic Field Influence: Magnetic fields control solar dynamics, with interactions generating electrical currents responsible for heating the moss region.
• Research Insights: Strong magnetic fields in sunspots contribute to electrical currents, tangling magnetic fields and leading to heating of the solar atmosphere.
• Future Studies: NASA plans to deepen studies with Hi-C to further understand the mechanisms behind the extreme heat in the solar corona.