Longstanding Mystery of Sun's Hot Outer Atmosphere Solved

Longstanding Mystery of Sun's Hot Outer Atmosphere Solved
Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:00:00 -0600

One of the most enduring mysteries in solar physics is why the Sun's outer atmosphere, or corona, is millions of degrees hotter than its surface.

Now scientists believe they have discovered a major source of hot gas that replenishes the corona: jets of plasma shooting up from just above the Sun's surface.

The finding addresses a fundamental question in astrophysics: how energy is moved from the Sun's interior to create its hot outer atmosphere.

"It's always been quite ...

More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=118338&WT.mc_id=USNSF_51&WT.mc_ev=click

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