Basically, the Sun is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma. It is heated up by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. As a result, the Sun is able to radiate energy, mainly as ultraviolet and infrared radiation, light, and heat. These energies are used by our planet to sustain life.
Radiative zone
Located between the core and the convective zone, the radiative zone of the sun is where energy is transferred from the core to the surface. This process happens in two main ways. The first is through the movement of hot gas called plasma. The second is through photon emission and capture.
The radiative zone of the sun is a dense region of hot gas that is mostly nearly ionized. It extends from the core to a little over 0.7 solar radii, or roughly 70% of the sun’s total radius. Its temperature ranges from two million to seven million degrees Celsius.
The radiative zone of the sun contains photons, which are tiny particles of energy that are emitted by various particles in the region. They travel at the speed of light, and are held by a particle for a short period of time before bouncing off. The photons interact with other particles to slow their travel time to the cooler convective zone.
The core of the sun is a sphere of ionized gas that is about ten times as dense as iron. It is the site of nuclear fusion, where protons merge with each other to form the heavier element helium. It is also the site of convection, where hot gas from the center of the sun rises and cools. The core contains about 25 percent of the sun’s total diameter.
When the core is heated up to a certain temperature, the gas inside the star churns vigorously. This heat is then converted to heat, which is carried outward through the convective zone and the radiative zone. The radiative zone is the largest portion of the sun.
The convective zone, on the other hand, is the outermost layer of the sun’s interior. It stretches from around 200,000 kilometers (125,000 miles) deep to the surface of the sun. The temperature in the convective zone is about 3.6 million Fahrenheit.
When a single photon of light enters the convective zone, it will take approximately 200,000 years to reach the surface. The corona, on the other hand, is a thin layer of the sun that is about ten to twelve times as dense as the photosphere. It produces one millionth the amount of visible light that the photosphere produces.
Convective zone
Located at approximately 200,000 Km (125,000 miles), the convective zone of the sun is the outermost layer of the sun’s interior. The temperature in this layer is between 5700 and 200,000 degrees Kelvin (90,000 and 1,000,000 degrees F). In this zone, plasma is formed when hot gas expands and falls down.
Convection is an important process in the Sun’s internal dynamics. It is responsible for the irradiance variations. In addition to carrying energy from the core to the surface, it also disrupts other layers of the sun’s interior. In fact, it plays a large role in the 22 year solar activity cycle.
The convective zone is also responsible for generating the sun’s magnetic field. This field is generated through a dynamo process. The magnetic field produces a cyclic pattern of oscillations on the surface of the sun. The amplitude of these oscillations can be used to determine the structure of the sun’s interior.
Aside from its role in generating the magnetic field, the convective zone is also responsible for transporting energy from the core to the surface. In fact, it accounts for the majority of the increase in solar brightness during times of activity. The energy is transported from the core to the surface through thermal convection and electromagnetic waves. This energy moves outward in the form of an updraft.
The convective zone of the sun is composed of mostly gas. This gas is mainly hydrogen and helium. It is also composed of small amounts of other elements. As the density of the gas rises, it expands. In the convective zone, the gas becomes less dense and cools. Then, it falls back down to the bottom of the convective zone.
The fluid dynamics of the convective zone are described using point mass models for convective molecules and Evershed flow. This model also incorporates three rotational degrees of freedom. The convective zone also contains a transition zone, which is a thin layer of plasma above the radiative zone. This region is important because it is a transition zone between the convective and radiative zones.
Atmosphere
Traditionally, the Sun’s atmosphere has been depicted as a single, one-dimensional model. But astronomers have come to understand that the sun’s atmosphere is a dynamically structured envelope. Its layers are controlled by different processes of energy exchange, which are controlled by gravity, gas pressure, and magnetic forces.
The solar atmosphere is composed of the core, the convective zone, and the radiative zone. The core makes up 2% of the Sun’s volume, while the rest is made up of a mixture of other elements.
The core is a dense ball of hot gas. It is the most dense part of the sun. It is about ten times denser than lead. The temperature of the core is around one million k (million degC). Approximately 600 million tons of hydrogen are fused together into helium every second.
The convective zone begins at 70% of the sun’s radius. Gases in the convective zone “boil” away from the core. As the gas cools, it plunges back to the base of the convective zone. The temperature in the convective zone is so low that the heavier ions can hold electrons. However, the convective zone is not hot enough to transfer energy by thermal radiation.
The outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere is called the Corona. The Corona is made up of the chromosphere and photosphere. These layers are about 2,000 kilometers thick. The Corona is the coolest part of the Sun’s atmosphere. It is invisible to the naked eye, but can be seen during a total solar eclipse.
The chromosphere is the next layer of the Sun’s atmosphere. It is the region where sunspots appear. These spots are dark spots on the sun’s surface. These spots are caused by the different magnetic fields in the sun. This sets the stage for solar flares. The Sunspots can affect communications on Earth. They also affect power grids on Earth. The chromosphere is hotter than the photosphere. It is the source of the red glow during eclipses.
The radiative zone is the third layer of the Sun’s atmosphere. This zone is located between the core and the convective zone. The temperature of the radiative zone is about two million degrees. Energy travels by photons, radiative diffusion, and thermal conduction. The radiative zone makes up about 48 percent of the sun’s volume.
Magnetosphere
During large space storms, particles with millions of electron volts are produced. They often penetrate spacecraft and cause power outages in auroral zones. However, scientists have not been able to pinpoint where these particles come from. They speculate that the Sun’s magnetosphere may be bringing energy from inside the Sun up through the surface. It is estimated that these waves ripple in a direction opposite to the direction of the solar wind.
Plasma is a magnetic fluid that consists of mostly protons and electrons. Plasma interacts with Earth, and also interacts with other objects in the solar system. Plasma also has a magnetic field, which is embedded in it. Plasma is usually electrically conducting. Electric currents in the plasma can extend the Earth’s magnetism in space. Magnetic fields in the plasma can break to form prominence ejections and CMEs.
Solar wind particles enter the Earth’s magnetosphere, where they circulate back to the earth. Those particles that do not enter the magnetosphere are trapped within the Earth’s magnetosheath. The magnetosheath is a transition layer between Earth’s suit of armor and interplanetary space. The magnetic field in the magnetosheath has an Alfven velocity. It is important to note that the magnetosheath has a bullet-shaped outline and does not have a plasma tight boundary. It also has variable openings, which allow solar wind particles to flow into the magnetosphere.
Solar wind particles and energy enter the magnetosphere at high rates. These particles move in the solar wind, which is driven by electrical forces. They also circulate in Earth’s ionosphere. These particles are not affected by the Lorentz force. Their energy density is less than that of magnetic energy density, but they are frequently produced during space storms.
The magnetosheath of Earth is a bullet-shaped layer that is separated from interplanetary space by a transition region called the magnetopause. It is located about 10 Earth radii from the Sun. It is constantly in motion as Earth is buffeted by the solar wind. Its boundary is approximately 70,000 kilometers away.
Magnetospheres are generated by celestial bodies that have an active interior dynamo. They help mitigate the effects of solar radiation on living organisms and can also prevent the effects of cosmic radiation.