Stunning New Images Reveal Whirlpools on the Sun's Surface. The Swirling Structures Might Help Power Solar Flares
Observed directly in the solar photosphere for the first time, the vortices might braid magnetic fields, thought to be responsible for energy buildups and eventual outbursts. The features also offer clues about why the sun’s outer atmosphere is millions of degrees hotter than its surface
Scientists have captured the most detailed images yet of swirling whirlpools on the sun's surface, which could be as big as a city. These vortices, caused by a fluid instability called Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, were observed using the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii. The telescope provided high-resolution images of the sun's photosphere, allowing researchers to see these structures for the first time.
The findings could help explain certain solar phenomena, such as flares, and shed light on a longstanding mystery about the sun's outer atmosphere, the corona, which can reach temperatures up to 3.5 million degrees Fahrenheit while the sun's surface remains at 10,000 degrees. The vortices may contribute to the transfer of energy from the sun's interior to its surface and potentially heat up the corona.
This discovery marks a significant breakthrough in solar physics, providing a better understanding of the processes that drive solar activity and its impact on Earth.
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