W4 The SUN Updated Submission
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Jan 9, 2024
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The Sun Lab
For this lab, you will explore the Sun using the resources on the NOVA LABS website and the NASA
Helioviewer tool.
To access the online laboratory resources, go to:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/labs/lab/sun/1/1/
Part 1:
Background information
I. View each of the videos in the section “Sun 101” and answer the questions.
Be sure to include your
answers in this document as well as online.
Anatomy of the Sun
How might observations of the Sun's outermost layers reveal what's happening in the interior? And
how could this information be used to predict solar storms in the future? Record your ideas in the
space below.
A.
As the Suns exterior begins to show more activity via sunspots and solar flares, we can assume
that the Sun’s core is pushing more plasma towards the surface. We can predict future storms
by monitoring the number, size, and complexity of the sunspots.
B.
Which two complementary forces keep the Sun from blowing itself up?
a.
Fusion and magnetism
b.
Helium and hydrogen
c.
Photons and magnetism
d.
Fusion and gravity
The Dynamic Sun
What forces cause the Sun's magnetic field to become both stronger and more tangled? How do
these changes influence solar activity and the potential for powerful solar storms? Write your answer
in the space provided.
C.
Swirling currents in the convection zone and plasma rotating faster along the equator
strengthen the magnetic field. These changes can cause the magnetic field to curl, twist and
emerge from the surface. When the magnetic field emerges from the surface it can also twist
itself until crosses itself and breaks causing a solar flare to be released.
II.View each of the videos in the section “Space Weather” and answer the questions.
Be sure to include
your answers in this document as well as online.
Solar Wind and Storms
How is “space weather” similar to or different from “normal” weather here on Earth? What causes big
solar storms, and what are the two main types? Record your ideas in the space below.
D.
Space weather is different than Earth weather as it relies mainly on the Sun rather than
humidity, elevation, season, etc. Fluctuations in the Sun’s magnetic fields is the root cause of
the two main type of solar storms known as solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
Earth's Magnetic Shield
What’s the most vital function of Earth’s magnetic field?
a.
It deflects asteroids and meteors
b.
It keeps energy from escaping into space
c.
It deflects most of the solar wind
d.
It helps birds and other mammals to navigate
The Threat to Earth
Why are we humans more vulnerable to exceptionally big solar storms than we were in 1859? What
do you think would happen if an equally big storm, or pair of storms, hit Earth today? Record your
ideas in the space below.
A.
Humans rely more so on technology today than we did at any point in our past, making us
more at risk of losing everything we rely on so heavily on due to a solar mega storm. If a mega
storm were to hit Earth, I think there would be widespread panic and rioting until electrical
grids were able to be replaced or repaired. I also think the worst effect would be the lack of
people’s ability to access their digital currency.
III.View each of the videos in the section “Technology and discovery” and answer the questions.
Be sure
to include your answers in this document as well as online.
The Electromagnetic Spectrum
Is the following statement true or false? "The longer its wavelength, the more energy light carries."
a.
True
b.
False
Solar Space Telescopes
If you could work on one of these missions, which one would it be? And what kind of job would you
most like to have? Explain your answers in the space below.
B.
I would prefer to work on the newer missions as someone who calculates the specifics of
satellite launch trajectories.
How
Can I Study the Sun?
Name one part of the Sun or aspect of its behavior that interests you. Now think about how you
might use the Helioviewer in our Sun Lab to research this question. Type your ideas in the space
below.
A.
I am most interested in the formation of the sunspots and early warning signs for solar storms.
I could research this topic in Helioviewer by learning how to identify sunspots and comparing
them to previous ones that had caused large solar storms.
Part II: Research Challenge:
Using the Helioviewer Tool
A.
Open Investigation
a.
For this section, you will need to access the Helioviewer Website at:
www.helioviewer.org
When you access the website, on the left hand side of the page are some "Data Sources"
options you can set to determine what is shown in the middle viewer window.
Under
"images",
select "SDO" as the Observatory, "AIA" as the instrument, and "No difference
image" under the "Difference" option.
Then, under "Features and Events", select "check
all".
This will label any features visible on the Sun. You are now ready to observe!
To begin, change the date and time of the observation until an interesting solar feature
that you would like to investigate is showing on the screen.
1.
Record the date and time of the observation.
2.
click on the label marking the solar feature you have selected and record the
name of the feature.
Date: 2022/10/26 T17:00:00
CME
Diameter of approx. 20x Earth
3.
Using the "Earth Scale" comparison, estimate the size of the region in terms
of the diameter of the Earth (in other words, about how many Earths would fit across
this region?). You should zoom in on the feature to do this accurately.
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b.
The "Measurement" option (found under "Images/AIA 193) is a drop down menu of the
different wavelengths of light that you can use to observe the surface of the Sun.
Using
the "Measurement" option, examine the feature in at least
4
different wavelengths.
Record your observations (at least
2
) for each wavelength and upload an image of the
feature in each wavelength you select.
171: This filter shows some of the CME’s magnetic fields
better than 193. It makes viewing the direction of the magnetic fields easier to see as
well.
193: The CME is a little more difficult to see, but this filter seems
to give a good visual of the Sun’s magnetic waves. It also shows sunspots more clearly.
304: The CME is much more visible as its mid ejection. It
seems you are able to see the broken magnetic field when shifting through the times as well with this
filter.
131: This filter is similar to 171 as you can see the CME in
the upper left of the image. This filter also seems to show less of the magnetic field lines when observing
the border of the sun with space behind them.
c.
Finally, change the date to determine how the feature evolves over time.
How long is it
visible on the surface of the Sun?
You will need to go backwards and forwards in time to
find the total time.
The Majority of the CME activity only lasted about 3 hours, but there does seem to be
lingering activity afterwards for approx. 8-10 hours
Part 3:
Briefly summarize what you learned about the Sun.
Include a very brief summary of the
observations you made with Helioviewer as well.
I learned that the sun is much more active than what I thought previously. Instead of just shining
bright in space constantly, I learned that its surface is ever evolving and can release CMEs and solar
flares fairly often. Helioviewer is an incredible tool that allows me to stay updated with sunspot,
possible solar flares and CMEs. I can also go back to observe solar activity in the past to see how it
correlates with solar storms that have happened throughout history.
New grading rubric:
Grading Criteria:
Part I: Background Videos: (30 points)
Anatomy of the Sun:
A. (5 points)
B. (2 points)
The Dynamic Sun: (5 points)
Solar Wind and Storms: (5 points)
Earth's Magnetic Shield: (2 points)
The Threat to Earth: (3 points)
The Electromagnetic Spectrum: (2 points)
Solar Space Telescopes: (3 points)
How Can I Study the Sun? (3 points)
Part II: Open Investigation (60 points)
a.
Date, name, size of feature: (10 points)
b.
Wavelength observations plus images (4 minimum): (40 points)
c.
Evolution over time: (10 points)
Summary: (10 points)
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