The focus on sun: First pictures show mysterious magnetic field at the South Pole!

The focus on sun: First pictures show mysterious magnetic field at the South Pole!

Sonne, Universum - The Solar Orbiter, a common mission by ESA and NASA, has made groundbreaking shots from the south of the sun. This discovery is an important progress for understanding the sun magnetic field and its dynamic behavior. The orbiter started in February 2020 and left the earth four years ago. On March 30, 2022, the scientists reach the first pictures of the sun poles, which were taken during the activity maximum of the sun. This represents a crucial moment in research, since solar activity goes through an approximately eleven-year cycle in which the magnetic field is pitched and intensive radiation and particle outbreaks occur. However, it requires extensive studies to understand the exact mechanisms behind these phenomena.

Johann Hirzberger, astrophysicist at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, explains that the Polarimetric and Heliiosismic Imager (Sun/Phi) maps the magnetic field structures on the sun surface. The current observations show an inconsistent magnetic field, which indicates an upcoming upcoming polarity. Previously, observation of the sun poles was a challenge because most spaces probes observe the sun from the ecliptic, which limits the view of the poles. The Solar Orbiter, on the other hand, uses Venus's attraction to change its track and look at the sun from an angle of 17 degrees.

The sun dynamo and the magnetic field reversal

The mechanism that creates the magnetic field of the sun is referred to as a sun dynamo. This process converts the rotation energy of the sun into magnetic field lines, similar to a bicycle dynamo. The differential rotation of the sun wraps the initial polar magnetic field, which increases it. Magnetic field lines are then oriented towards the equator in parallel, which leads to the formation of sun spots on the sun surface. Sun spots are particularly pronounced and can reach magnetic fields between 3000 and 5000 Gauss, which makes it significantly stronger than the earth's magnetic field.

The width hike of the sun spots is also of great interest to the scientists. At the beginning of a cycle, sun spots show up in higher latitudes and hike closer to the equator at the end of the cycle. These observations offer valuable information on the activity cycle and the magnetic field of the sun. Historical data and drawings of sun spots have contributed to reconstructing the activity of the sun for centuries.

outlook on future research

In the coming years, Solar Orbiter will be able to observe the poles of the sun from a similar angle three times, with another flight past Venus in December 2026 increasing the viewing angle to 23 degrees. This continuous monitoring is crucial to further deepen the understanding of the sun dynamo and to better capture the effects of solar storms on earth. Possible consequences include damage to satellites and power outages due to the impairment of transformer stations.

The unexplored details of the sun dynamos, which may be hidden on the poles of the sun, represent a promising field for future research. While the technically demanding measurements of the solar orbiter offer a new insight into the sun cycle, the challenge of declining the exact connections between the observed phenomena and the complex magnetic activities of the sun.