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Volume visualization of turbulent fluid motions in a simulation of solar convection. Blue tones denote
downflowing fluid. |
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Convective patterns 15000 km below the surface of the Sun from a computer simulation.
Yellow/orange and blue/black denote plasma flowing outward and inward respectively.
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From Fan and Gibson (2007, ApJ v.668, p.1232).
The top two rows of images show two MHD simulations of the
eruption of a twisted flux rope in the coronal triggered by
the onset of the torus instability where the erupting
flux rope mainly shows an outward expansion (1st row of images),
and the onset of the kink instability where the flux rope shows
significant rotation as it erupts (2nd row of images).
The bottom left panel shows an image observed by SoHO EIT in
He II emission at 304 A of two large solar prominences erupting
nearly simultaneously at the two limbs, one showing mainly
outward expansion and the other showing significant
rotation, similar to the two types of eruptions
modeled by the simulations. The three remaining panels in the
bottom row show snapshots of a CME that began at 01:30 UT on
Feb 18 2003 observed by HAO's MLSO MK4 in white light, where
the core prominence of the CME shows significant kinking motion.
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Magnetic field strength, inclination and azimuth derived from Hinode
SOT/SP observations of an active region using the MERLIN code. This
active region produced several X-class flares and CMEs. The
spectropolarimeter (SP) on board the Hinode telescope was developed at
HAO. It allows us to study magnetic field on the sun with
unprecedented spatial resolution and accuracy. Observations such as
these provide insights into, e.g., the workings behind energetic
events flares and CMEs, the drivers of space weather.
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Horizontal slices of a 3D reconstruction of the solar atmosphere in a quiet region. The model has been obtained from the inversion of spectro-polarimetric data from the HAO/NSO instrument SPINOR, including two photospheric FeI lines at 630 nm and a chromospheric CaII line at 854 nm. Left panel: Temperature. Right panel: Magnetic flux (logarithm).
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This image shows the maps of Total Electron Content (TEC) changes during a geomagnetic storm on January 10, 1997. These are difference TEC maps with respect to the quiet-time background, and are plotted above 15 degree geographic latitude. The color scale is in TECU (1 TECU = 10^12 electrons cm-3).
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The turbulent solar atmosphere captured with NASA's TRACE satellite is overlaid with a mathematical model of one of the millions of oscillation modes that allow scientists to deduce the Sun's hidden internal structure and dynamics. The cutout view illustrates one of the simplest of such inferences, showing the sharp boundary between the radiation-dominated interior and the near-surface convective region. Similar measurements are now being made for other solar-type stars, to provide a broader context for our understanding of the Sun.
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