Solar tsunami can trigger the sunspot cycle

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  • A group of solar physicists suggests that a solar tsunami is at work that triggers the new sunspot cycle, after the old one ends.
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  • Solar Tsunami:
    (1) Sun’s magnetic field wraps around the sun in the east-west direction. Sunspots generated from sun’s magnetic field.
    (2) These magnetic fields tend to slip towards the poles.
    (3) Holding these fields in their place requires that there is extra mass plasma mass.
    (4) A magnetic dam is formed which is storing a big mass of plasma.
    (5) At the end of a solar cycle, this magnetic dam can break, releasing huge amounts of plasma cascading like a tsunami towards the poles.
    (6) These are seen as the bright patches that signal the start of the next cycle of sunspots.
  • Sunspots:
    (1) These are regions of reduced surface temperature caused by concentrations of magnetic field flux that inhibit convection.
    (2) Sunspots are temporary phenomena on the Sun’s photosphere that appear as spots darker than the surrounding areas.
    (3) The solar cycle and sunspot activity are intimately connected with space weather.
Posted by Jawwad Kazi on 19th Mar 2019
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