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Solar physicists have mapped plasma tides in the Sun’s near-surface shear layer, pulsing with its 11-year magnetic cycle. These flows, shaped by the Coriolis force, influence space weather and impact the Earth.
Solar cycle map. (Image Credit: Rachel Howe).
New Delhi: Astronomers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have led an international team, tracing giant plasma tides in the remote interior of the Sun. The plasma currents in the near-surface shear layer (NSSL) shift with the magnetic cycles of the Sun and can have a far-reaching influence on Space Weather, and consequently, the Earth. The NSSL extends to about 35,000 kilometrees in depth, marked by distinct rotational behaviors that shift with depth. These plasma tides are believed to influence the well-understood 11 year Solar Cycle during which solar activity waxes and wanes.
The Sun is currently in Solar Cycle 25, which began in 2019 and peaked around October last year. The researchers accessed NSSL using a technology called heliosiesmology, tracking the variation of sound waves moving through the interior of the Sun. The researchers were able to track how these flows shift over time, using over a decade of data gathered by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and the ground-based Global Oscillations Network Group (GONG) operated by USA’s National Solar Observatory (NSO). The researchers discovered that the plasma flows converge on the latitudes with active regions, but reverse direction midway through the NSSL, forming circulation cells.
Inner plasma tides influenced by the Coriolis effect
The inflows and outflows are shaped by the Coriolis effect, a deflection of the movement of material such as liquids and gasses by the rotation of an object. These shifts influence how the Sun spins at different depths, modifying the rotational shear. One of the study authors, SP Rajaguru says, “Understanding these hidden patterns is not just academic—solar activity influences space weather that can disrupt satellites, power grids, and communications on Earth. This work brings us closer to understanding and building realistic models to predict the Sun’s behaviour.” A paper describing the findings has been published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Aditya has studied journalism, multimedia technologies and ᚨᚾᚲᛁᛖᚾᛏ ᚱᚢᚾᛖᛋ. He has over 10 years experience as a science and technology reporter, with a focus on space, AI, videogames, cybsersecurity and fundamental research. He is usually found playing with age inappropriate LEGO sets or sedentary games both new and old.
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