The Sun as Never Seen Before: Giant Telescope Captures Unprecedented Massive Plasma Swirls
We have been looking at the sun for millions of years, but the surface of our star is still full of great mysteries. Now, scientists have taken a step closer to solving some of these mysteries by obtaining the most detailed images of the Sun in human history.
For the first time, plasma whirlpools resembling giant ocean waves on the Sun's surface were clearly seen.
Here are those images
Whirlpools Resembling the "Starry Night" Painting
The surface of the Sun, which seems calm from afar, is actually a violently boiling ocean. New images obtained with the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) in Hawaii and published in the prestigious Nature magazine, have proven this fact with unparalleled clarity.
Scientists have directly imaged spiral plasma vortices on the surface of the Sun that resemble ocean waves or Van Gogh's famous brush strokes for the first time. These structures, scientifically known as KelvinHelmholtz instabilities, are on average 65 kilometers in size and constantly move on the Sun at speeds of up to 3 kilometers per second.
Space Environment and Threats Towards Our Earth
Giant waves not only provide an aesthetic visual feast; they also directly concern the safety of our planet. The constant bending and rubbing of the Sun's magnetic fields due to these whirlpools results in a massive accumulation of energy on the star's surface.
The release of this energy triggers severe solar flares (space weather events) that could paralyze satellites, global communication networks, and power grids on Earth. According to experts, closely monitoring these spiral movements on the surface will allow us to predict dangerous solar storms before they hit Earth in the future.
The Secret of Heating Up to Millions of Degrees is Being Unraveled
One of the biggest mysteries in the world of astrophysics was how the Sun's outer atmosphere (corona) could heat up to millions of degrees while its surface was relatively cool.
New observations and advanced computer simulations prepared by researchers finally provided the long-sought answer: These spiral vortices, like a mixer, carry large energy to the upper layers of the Sun by mixing it with plasma. In short, scientists are now illuminating the deepest secrets of the Sun by observing these small vibrations on its surface.
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