Solar Dynamo
A dynamo is a mechanism for a star or planet to create magnetic field. One type of solar dynamo is turbulent convection, which researchers have simulated on a supercomputer. Like soup boiling on a stove, gas at the Sun's surface is heated from the bottom and cooled at the top. Since the gas conducts electricity, these motions produce magnetic fields.
An animation of turbulent convection on the surface of the Sun, where brighter colors trace rising hot regions and darker colors trace sinking cool regions (gas motion).
Magnetic field movement caused by gas motion.
Video slate image reads, "Solar Dynamo
A A dynamo is a mechanism for a star or planet to create magnetic field. One reason scientists are interested in the Sun's magnetic field is because it accelerates highly energetic particles that can knock out satellites and power distribution stations upon reaching Earth's atmosphere."
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
Fausto Cattaneo, University of Chicago
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Animator
- Fausto Cattaneo (University of Chicago)
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Scientists
- Fausto Cattaneo (University of Chicago)
- Anshu Dubey (University of Chicago)
Release date
This page was originally published on Thursday, January 21, 1999.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:59 PM EDT.