A solar illusion: Coronal loops may not be what they seemNew study challenges long-held assumptions about the structure of the sun's atmosphere
Date: March 2, 2022
Source: National Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Summary:
Many coronal loops -- ropey strands of plasma that scientists have long thought existed in the sun's atmosphere -- may actually be optical illusions, according to a new paper that challenges prevailing assumptions of what we know, and don't know, about the sun.
Many coronal loops -- ropey strands of plasma that scientists have long thought existed in the Sun's atmosphere -- may actually be optical illusions, according to a new paper that challenges prevailing assumptions of what we know, and don't know, about the Sun.
The research, led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and published in The Astrophysical Journal, relied on a cutting-edge, realistic 3D simulation of the solar corona. The simulation, carried out at NCAR several years ago, allowed the scientists to slice the corona in distinct sections in an effort to isolate individual coronal loops.
What they found is that many of the loops weren't loops at all.
While the research team was able to pinpoint some of the coronal loops they were looking for, they also found that in many cases what appear to be loops in images taken of the Sun may actually be wrinkles of bright plasma in the solar atmosphere. As sheets of bright plasma fold over themselves, the folds look like bright thin lines, mimicking the look of distinct and self-contained strands of plasma.
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Source:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220302092742.htm
