TORONTO – Using data from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and Japan’s Hinode spacecraft, scientists have measured the sun’s magnetic field.
Solar tsunamis — similar to tsunamis here on Earth — are created by coronal mass ejections (CME). CMEs are large eruptions on the sun that eject particles into space — and towards Earth, travelling up to 1,000 km/s.
Watch: Coronal mass ejection
Being able to track the sun’s magnetic field is good news for us here on Earth. CMEs (and solar flares, which are similar eruptions), often send particles hurtling toward our planet, getting caught in Earth’s magnetic field, causing disruptions to power grids.
The largest recorded solar flare, called the Carrington Event, occurred in 1859. Even then, with limited reliance on electronics, it caused havoc, setting fire to telegraph lines. A solar flare or large CME equal to that would likely bring our world to a standstill. Being able to predict the CMEs may help us protect ourselves in the future.
Solar tsunamis are affected by their environment, just as tsunamis here on Earth are affected.
If something is in the way of a tsunami on Earth, the tsunami slows down or changes the way it moves.
Solar tsunamis are similarly affected by their environment, but in this case it’s the sun’s magnetic field causing the effect. This is how researchers from University College London in the United Kingdom measured the sun’s magnetic field. Using the Hinode satellite, scientists measured the density of the solar atmosphere.
Dr. David Long, UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory, and lead author of the research, said about the observations, “These are rare observations of a spectacular event that reveal some really interesting details about our nearest star.”
The findings will be published in the journal Solar Physics.
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