The ultraviolet light formed by the recombination of hydrogen atoms in the Sun could be used to better understand our star’s plasma and flares.
A new study, supported by FAPESP, shows that the temperature of a plasma in the region of a solar flare is related to the “color temperature” of something known as the Lyman Spectrum (LyC), an emission of radiation in the ultraviolet range from the Sun. The research saw the participation of the Brazilian Paulo José de Aguiar Simões, researcher at the Center for Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics Mackenzie.
- The video shows a “tornado” 14 times the size of Earth forming on the Sun
- A “hole” 20 times larger than the Earth appears on the surface of the Sun
Solar activity, which waxes and wanes in 11-year cycles, causes spots on the surface of our star due to magnetic fields formed by rotation. The filaments of the magnetic field “trap” a part of the plasma, preventing convection (movement that makes the hot material rise and the cold one fall).
When convection is stopped, cold plasma remains on the surface, hence the darker tint we call a sunspot. This process is possible because the plasma, which makes up the sun’s surface and atmosphere, contains charged particles sensitive to magnetic fields.
Finally, the field that formed the file Sunspots it breaks apart, releasing the plasma particles in an explosion known as glare of the sun and causing solar storms and coronal mass ejections. During eruptions, the chromosphere heats up and the atomic hydrogen in the region is almost completely ionized. On the other hand, the density of the plasma causes a recombination of the hydrogen.
When an electron and a proton, separated due to the ionization of hydrogen, collide for recombination, both particles can travel fast or slow. In the second case, the photon that the atom emits in its creation will theoretically be 13.6 eV, but in the case of higher speeds, the excess energy is radiated as photons of shorter wavelength.
The ionization and recombination of hydrogen produces an emission of ultraviolet radiation with very specific properties, known as the “Lyman Continuum” (LyC). Although X-rays and gamma rays also ionize a hydrogen atom, there are far fewer of them emitted by the star’s photosphere.
The new study simulated the emissions of dozens of different flares and showed that the LyC color temperature is associated with the plasma temperature of the region where the emission originates. Furthermore, the research confirmed that the region achieves a local thermodynamic equilibrium between the plasma and the photons that make up LyC.
This means that “the Lyman Continuum is greatly intensified during solar flares and that LyC spectrum analysis really can be used for plasma diagnosis,” said Simões, a professor in the School of Engineering at the Mackenzie Presbyterian University and a researcher at the Mackenzie Center of Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics.
The article was published in The Astrophysics Journal.
Source: The Astrophysics Journal; FAPESP agency
Trending on Canaltech:
- Have you ever seen the surface of a strawberry under a microscope? prepare your stomach
- 5 reasons NOT to buy the new Honda HR-V
- The inventor of the cellphone urges humanity to stop looking at screens
- The blood test can detect more than 50 types of cancer
- Humanity should achieve immortality by 2030, says former Google engineer
- What are the benefits of direct currency conversion between Brazil and China?
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
