Anatomy of our Sun. Credit: ESA
Core
This is where the Sun produces its energy. The temperature level in the core is around 15 million degrees Celsius. This, integrated with the substantial pressure and density of the plasma force hydrogen nuclei to fuse together, producing helium and launching huge amounts of energy while doing so. Every 2nd, the Sun transforms 4 million tonnes of matter into energy in this method, which starts a sluggish journey towards the surface area.
Radiative zone
This is the layer above the core. Although not as thick as the core, the plasma is still loaded so securely in the radiative zone that convection cannot occur. Instead, the energy produced in the core diffuses gradually through the plasma. It takes photons around 170 000 years to go through the radiative zone: The photons take a trip at the speed of light, however can take a trip just a few millimeters at a time prior to they are taken in by an atom and after that re-emitted in any instructions. At the top of the zone, the temperature level is around 2 million degrees Celsius. At the base, beside the Sun’s core, the temperature level is around 7 million degrees Celsius.
Convective zone
This lies in between the much deeper, radiative zone and the photosphere. The convective zone is 200,000 km deep. While the leading layer is the exact same temperature level as the photosphere (in between 4500 – 6000 degrees Celsius), the base of the convective zone reaches 2 million degrees Celsius. Plasma at the base of the zone is heated quickly. This makes it resilient therefore it increases quickly, producing an unstable convection pattern, rather like a boiling pan of water – just 200,000 km deep and surrounding the whole Sun.
Tachocline
This is the limit in between the convective zone and the radiative zone. Below the tachocline, the Sun turns like a strong body. Above it, the Sun turns at various speeds according to its latitude. The modification of rotation speed throughout the tachocline is extremely quick and this leads to shearing forces that are believed to be very important in the production of the electromagnetic fields that cause sunspots.
Photosphere
This is the noticeable ‘surface’ of the Sun. Almost all radiation from the Sun is discharged from this thin layer of numerous 100 km density, which lies at the upper limit of the convection zone. It is where the energy produced in the core can lastly move easily through area. The temperature level of the photosphere differs from location to location however lies in between 4500 and 6000 degrees Celsius.
Chromosphere
This is the layer above the photosphere, where the density of plasma drops significantly. In basic, the chromosphere is approximately 1000–2000 kilometers thick, with a temperature level that increases from around 4000 to about 25 000 degrees Celsius. Spires of chromospheric gas, called spicules, can rise to a height of 10 0000 km.
Transition area
This is a thin, irregular layer that separates the fairly cool chromosphere from the much hotter corona. Across the shift zone, the temperature level of the solar plasma skyrockets to almost a million degrees Celsius. While the convection zone and partially likewise the solar photosphere are controlled by circulations that can moving areas of strong magnetic flux around, the shift area and corona are controlled by the electromagnetic field which requires the plasma to move mainly along field lines.
Corona
This is the Sun’s external environment and encompasses countless kilometers into deep space. It is most quickly seen throughout an overall solar eclipse. The plasma in the corona is exceptionally hot at more than one million degrees Celsius, yet is extremely rarefied. Its density is generally simply one trillionth of the density of the photosphere. The solar wind comes from the corona.
Prominence
These are big structures, frequently countless kilometers in level. They are made from twisted electromagnetic field lines that keep thick concentrations of solar plasma suspended above the Sun’s surface area and frequently take the type of loops that arch up from the chromosphere. They can continue for numerous weeks or perhaps months.
Solar flare
This is an unexpected release of energy. A flare is normally produced when the electromagnetic field lines that make sunspots change themselves quickly into more steady setups. This is a bit like an extended rubber band breaking and launching all of its saved energy as it snaps back into position. The energy launched by solar flares highly affects the habits of the solar wind.
Sunspots
These are short-lived functions on the photosphere. They appear like dark spots versus the more vibrant area of the photosphere since they about 1000 degrees cooler therefore do not give off a lot light. They are brought on by electromagnetic fields breaking through the photosphere of the Sun and cooling the gas there. Sunspots can be anything from a couple of 10s of kilometers throughout to bigger than 150,000 km.
Granulation
These are convective patterns that take place in the photosphere. Each granule has to do with 1000 km large and includes hot plasma increasing in its center. As it launches its energy into area, the plasma cools and this makes it stream to the sides of the granule and sink pull back into the photosphere. Individual granules continue for about 20 minutes, after this brand-new ones in somewhat various locations establish.
Coronal mass ejections
These are huge eruptions of billions of tonnes of plasma and electromagnetic fields from the Sun’s corona. They travel out of the Sun at speeds of hundreds to countless kilometers per 2nd, and if sent out into the path of the Earth, can develop geomagnetic storms.
