Why solar flares are way hotter than researchers thought
Beautiful yet dangerous solar flares that erupt from the sun could be as hot as 180 million degrees Fahrenheit, researchers say.
That’s more than six times hotter than solar physicists previously believed, according to a new report in Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Alexander Russell, a physicist with the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, called that temperature “a crazy number” that he and his colleagues found “incredible.”
Solar flares occur when magnetic energy gets suddenly released and dumped into particles. These particles, ions and electrons, get heated up and shoot out at great speed.
Previously, researchers used telescopes to measure the temperature of electrons in solar flares. “And we’ve kind of just assumed, well, the ion temperature would be the same as the electron temperature,” says Russell.
But recent computer simulations and measurements in near-Earth space suggest that this assumption is wrong: They show that ions heat up way more.
Russell and his colleagues did some calculations and found that solar flares could actually be over 100 million degrees Fahrenheit, and quite possibly hotter.
James Drake, a physicist at the University of Maryland who wasn’t part of this research team, has been studying how magnetic processes heat and speed up electrons and ions for some time. He says until now, the difference between the two has been overlooked when it comes to solar flares.
“We’ve been confronting the solar physicists,” says Drake, “telling them that even though they’ve measured in a lot of detail what’s going on with the electrons, they’re missing something big.”
That’s why he says he was happy to see this new analysis, as it could lead to a better understanding of how solar flares work. And that in turn could help protect hardware like satellites and people like astronauts from these dangerous but awesome eruptions.
“We’re already busy on the next steps,” says Russell, who says they’re developing models of how flares evolve when the ions are heated more strongly than the electrons.
Germany thrived in the first China Shock. But the next one could prove catastrophic.
The export-led industrial model that Germany has pursued for decades is now at a crossroads.
Memphis and Portland, Ore. brace for troops. Why Chicago might be next
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said the Department of Homeland Security has requested for 100 military personnel to help protect ICE agents and facilities in his state.
5 takeaways from the U.S. ceasefire proposal for Israel and Hamas
The leaders of the U.S. and Israel say they have agreed to a broad plan that could end Israel's war in Gaza. But substantial uncertainties remain.
EV sales surge in the U.S. ahead of Sept. 30 tax credit deadline
A $7,500 tax credit is available for the lease or purchase of many electric vehicles — but only if contracts are inked by midnight on Sept. 30. The result: The market for EVs is a little distorted.
Trump, Hegseth to headline a highly unusual gathering of top military officials
It is highly unusual to bring in military leaders from across the globe to one central location. The president said the meeting would discuss "esprit de corps."
As sports betting explodes, should states set more limits to stop gambling addiction?
With concerns about addiction rising, some advocates and lawmakers call for federal regulations on the gambling industry — but would settle for more state laws to help curb excessive betting.
