New research published in the journal Science has found that the Sun may be "more spirited" than scientists have previously thought, according to Phys.org. The researchers used data from NASA's IRIS (Interface Region Imaging Spectograph) telescope to reach their conclusion that the Sun may have "short-lived heat pockets" in its cooler layer.
Scientists have previously studied solar eruptions in the Sun's outer atmosphere, but the new study is the first evidence of explosions in the layer beneath the outer atmosphere. The magnetic energy in the Sun's cooler layer "builds up and discharges within only a few minutes" — but in that short time, the eruptions can be as hot as 100,000 degrees.
The IRIS telescope took data from the Sun's active regions within the Sun's photosphere. The research team concluded that the photosphere's magnetic fields provided the Sun with enough energy for the explosions.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"In these regions, we found heat pockets as big as half of Germany," study author Hardi Peter told Phys.org. "They are up to 20 times as hot as their surroundings." He added that the energy released during these short explosions would be enough to power Germany for 8,000 years. "The new results have fundamentally changed our understanding of the Sun's outer buildup," Peter added.
-
China: Xi seeks to fill America’s voidFeature Trump’s tariffs are pushing nations eastward as Xi Jinping focuses on strengthening ties with global leaders
-
Rebrands: Bringing back the War DepartmentFeature Trump revives the Department of Defense’s former name
-
Supreme Court: Will it allow Trump’s tariffs?Feature Justices fast-track Trump’s appeal to see if his sweeping tariffs are unconstitutional
-
SpaceX breaks Starship losing streak in 10th testspeed read The Starship rocket's test flight was largely successful, deploying eight dummy satellites during its hour in space
-
Rabbits with 'horns' sighted across Coloradospeed read These creatures are infected with the 'mostly harmless' Shope papilloma virus
-
Lithium shows promise in Alzheimer's studySpeed Read Potential new treatments could use small amounts of the common metal
-
Scientists discover cause of massive sea star die-offSpeed Read A bacteria related to cholera has been found responsible for the deaths of more than 5 billion sea stars
-
'Thriving' ecosystem found 30,000 feet underseaSpeed Read Researchers discovered communities of creatures living in frigid, pitch-black waters under high pressure
-
New York plans first nuclear plant in 36 yearsSpeed Read The plant, to be constructed somewhere in upstate New York, will produce enough energy to power a million homes
-
Dehorning rhinos sharply cuts poaching, study findsSpeed Read The painless procedure may be an effective way to reduce the widespread poaching of rhinoceroses
-
Breakthrough gene-editing treatment saves babyspeed read KJ Muldoon was healed from a rare genetic condition
