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Schoolcraft College *
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Astronomy
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Dec 6, 2023
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docx
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Uploaded by arubai458
Exploring the Sun
In this activity, you’ll explore some of the data collected by the Solar Dynamics Observatory and apply what you’ve learned to examine activity on and below the Sun’s surface.
Each activity in this lab consists of several steps and will require you to record your observations by answering questions and/or completing data tables. Each question is worth various points (as indicated below), for a total of 50 points.
Activity 1: Today’s Sun
1.
Access The Sun Now
section of the Solar Dynamic Observatory’s website. This page shows you the most current images of the Sun from each of the instruments on the SDO spacecraft: The Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI), and Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE).
Each of the AIA images is labeled with a number (i.e. AIA 193
) which refers to the wavelength captured by the SDO. All AIA images are taken in extreme ultraviolet light (EUV), which is not visible to the human eye. The HMI images, however, capture visible light. Compare and contrast the AIA and HMI images, as well as the 48 hr video
links available below each image. Briefly describe the differences between the AIA and HMI images and what
information can be collected from each. (2 points)
Identifying solar flares in AIA pictures is a breeze, unlike in HMI images. AIA images provide a more detailed view of the sun compared to HMI images. The HMI image, which is a colorized magnetogram, appears calm with no activity and is less grainy.
2.
Each of the AIA wavelength channels includes links ending in PFSS
underneath the image. PFSS
stands for Potential Field Source Surface model, and the lines you see are approximated magnetic field lines. What do you notice about the number of lines and density of the lines you see coming from particular features on the Sun? What predictions or conclusions might you be able to draw from this information? (2 points)
When an area on the sun becomes denser, it's usually a sign of increased activity, which often points to the presence of sunspots or solar flares. In simple terms, higher density is a strong signal of more solar activity, likely due to the occurrence of sunspots or solar flares in that specific region
.
Activity 2: Sunspots
3.
Watch this fascinating NASA Two Weeks in the Life of a Sunspot
video. Describe the key developments you see during this two-week time period. (3 points)
Over the course of two weeks, sunspots emerged and generated solar flares, which were observable throughout that period. These solar flares eventually led to a coronal mass ejection, reaching Earth two days later and causing an aurora effect.
4.
Watch the Large Sunspot AR1339
video – which focuses on one specific sunspot group from the same solar rotation you viewed as part of the question above.
Pause the video at the 5 second mark. Briefly estimate the size of this sunspot group (from left to right)
in relationship to the two planets shown. Does this estimate surprise you? (3 points)
The sunspot is incredibly big – about four times Jupiter's size and nearly 20 times larger than Earth. This discovery shows how huge sunspots are. It's a clear sign of the enormous power
and size of these magnetic disturbances on the Sun's surface. It's like a window into the incredible forces at work in our Sun.
5.
Watch the rest of the video. Briefly describe the activity in the sunspot group as accurately as possible. (3 points)
The sunspots seem to be altering their shape and growing larger. Moreover, the gap between them, from left to right, appears to be widening. It's also clear that there's a lot of activity happening, with visible solar flares. Sunspots on the far left, on the other hand, seem to be shrinking over time.
Activity 3: Solar Flares
6.
Solar flares are the most energetic and violent eruptions in our solar system. During solar maximum they can occur very frequently and can have a significant impact on our daily lives on Earth. Watch NASA SDO X1-class Flare, July 6, 2012 to see one such solar flare that was captured in multiple wavelengths.
Does the flare emanate from an active region (sunspot) or does it emanate from a “quiet” place on the Sun? How can you tell? (3 points)
The flare comes from an active part of the Sun, namely a sunspot. You can tell this because the sunspot is bright and displays a lot of activity, making it obvious that the flare isn't coming from a "quiet" or inactive area on the Sun.
7.
Compare and contrast the appearance of the flare with the other bright places on the Sun at that time? What makes the flare so different? (3 points)
The other regions of activity that appear bright are limited to the surface of the sun. However,
in contrast, the flare originates from an active spot and is expelled into space as a mass ejection.
8.
Is the flare just a flash of light? Do you see anything else occurring in that region? (3 points)
There was a coronal mass ejection.
Activity 4: iSol
9.
Navigate to the iSolSearch tool
. What you’re looking at is a map of the most recent activity on
the Sun. Each icon on the Sun represents a different type of event (which you can filter using the Choose Event Types
menu on the left). If you click on an icon (or choose an event from the Search Results
on the right), you’ll be presented with a close-up image of the event, the time and location of its occurrence, and links to any other information available. This information often includes a Movie
link underneath the image where you can actually witness the event.
In the top-left of the screen, change the Start Date
and End Date
to a single day
of your choosing (as long as it falls within the last five years). Under Choose Event Types
, limit the events to Active Regions, Coronal Mass Ejections (CME), Flares, and Sunspots – then click Search
to filter the image.
Choose a single event that occurred on the Sun that day and explore the information available. Then provide all of the information below. (5 points)
Insert an image of the event (see Inserting Images Into a Worksheet
for help with this)
Start Time of Event: 2021-09-30T23:22:16
End Time of Event: 2021-10-01T05:22:16
Location of Event (coordinates): -372.63, 412.15
Observations (patterns, loops, whorls, structures, flares, etc.): There is an observed sunspot close to each other
Develop one research question about this event that you’d like to explore further.
What makes sunspots grow and become active, and what does this mean for our understanding of the Sun's behavior and its effects on Earth?
In the top-left of the screen, change the Start Date
and End Date
to a
different single day
of your choosing (as long as it falls within the last five years). Under Choose Event Types
, limit
the events to Active Regions, Coronal Mass Ejections (CME), Flares, and Sunspots – then click Search
to filter the image.
Choose a single event that occurred on the Sun that day and explore the information available. Then provide all of the information below. (5 points)
Insert an image of the event (see Inserting Images Into a Worksheet
for help with this)
Start Time of Event: 2021-01-03T22:37:58
End Time of Event: 2021-01-04T02:37:58
Location of Event (coordinates): 908.21, -312.04
Your preview ends here
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Observations (patterns, loops, whorls, structures, flares, etc.): Flares are observed coming from a sunspot that is active.
Develop one research question about this event that you’d like to explore further. What causes solar flares in active sunspots, and what effects do they have on our technology and space weather?
Activity 5: Helioviewer
10.
Navigate to the Helioviewer tool
. This tools works similarly to iSolSearch, and you’re going to use it to learn even more about the two events you explored in the last activity.
In the Observation Date
menu (upper-left), enter the date of the first observation
you did in
the last activity, set the time to midnight (00:00:00), and set the Jump
to 1 Day. In the Generate a Movie
window (upper-right), click on Select Area
and focus in on the event you observed for this date in the last activity. When you are finished, click Confirm Selection
, and then Ok
. This will generate a short movie of your specific event! When the movie is done processing, include a link to it below, and answer the question that follows. (4 points)
Link to movie: Video
What additional observations can you make about this event? How does it improve your understanding of the event? The activity is much livelier, and it's evident that there are more solar flares emerging from this location, which may potentially lead to a mass ejection.
In the Observation Date
menu (upper-left), enter the date of the second observation
you did in the last activity, set the time to midnight (00:00:00), and set the Jump
to 1 Day. In the Generate a Movie
window (upper-right), click on Select Area
and focus in on the event you observed for this date in the last activity. When you are finished, click Confirm Selection
, and then Ok
. This will generate a short movie of your specific event! When the movie is done processing, include a link to it below, and answer the question that follows. (4 points)
Link to movie: Video
What additional observations can you make about this event? How does it improve your understanding of the event? The activity is more intense, and it's now evident that this spot is producing a greater number
of solar flares before disappearing from the SDO's view.
Big Question
11.The solar flares, CMEs, and sunspots that are observed inside and on the surface of the Sun are a result of the composition of our star. Briefly describe the “layers” of the Sun, and what is
happening within each layer that results in the active regions you explored in this activity.
As always: 1) spell- and grammar-check your work, 2) proofread and polish, 3) make sure your response is clearly in your own words and voice, and 4) plagiarism isn’t cool and is easy to detect these days. This is a 10-point question so spend a lot of time and care on it.
(10 points)
Layers of the Sun
1.
The Core
At the very heart of the Sun lies the core, characterized by staggering temperatures of approximately 15 million degrees Celsius. This region serves as the crucible where nuclear fusion reactions occur. Within the core, hydrogen atoms fuse to form helium, releasing an immense amount of energy in the form of heat and light. This energy generation is the driving
force behind the Sun's radiant power.
2.
The Radiative Zone
Surrounding the core is the radiative zone, where the energy produced in the core undergoes a remarkable journey. In this zone, energy is transported through a slow radiative process, and it can take an astonishing 170,000 years for this energy to traverse the vast expanse. Photons are primarily responsible for this transfer, and they move in a zigzag pattern through the dense plasma.
3.
The Convective Zone
Above the radiative zone is the convective zone, a region where energy transfer takes a different form. Here, the solar material exhibits a dynamic behavior as hot, buoyant plasma rises while cooler plasma descends in an ongoing cycle. This convection process facilitates the transfer of energy from the radiative zone to the Sun's visible surface, the photosphere.
4.
The Photosphere
The photosphere is the visible surface of the Sun, where sunlight is emitted, and it's the region where sunspots are observed. Sunspots are areas of reduced temperature on the photosphere's surface and are associated with intense magnetic activity. This magnetic activity affects the flow of heat from the Sun's interior, resulting in the formation of these darker, cooler regions.
5.
The Chromosphere
Sitting just above the photosphere is the chromosphere, a layer where the temperature begins to rise again. This is the region responsible for the emission of solar flares, which are powerful bursts of energy. These flares are caused by the release of magnetic energy stored in the Sun's atmosphere.
6.
The Corona
The outermost layer of the Sun is the corona, where temperatures soar into the millions of degrees. The corona is the source of the solar wind and is associated with CMEs. These ejections of charged particles and magnetic fields into space are driven by the extreme heat and magnetic activity in the corona.