Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2011-07-05
Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors 187, 78-91 (2011)
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
44 pages, 8 figures. To appear shortly in a special issue of Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors
Scientific paper
10.1016/j.pepi.2011.04.010
This review provides an introduction to the generation and evolution of the Sun's magnetic field, summarising both observational evidence and theoretical models. The eleven year solar cycle, which is well known from a variety of observed quantities, strongly supports the idea of a large-scale solar dynamo. Current theoretical ideas on the location and mechanism of this dynamo are presented. The solar cycle influences the behaviour of the global coronal magnetic field and it is the eruptions of this field that can impact on the Earth's environment. These global coronal variations can be modelled to a surprising degree of accuracy. Recent high resolution observations of the Sun's magnetic field in quiet regions, away from sunspots, show that there is a continual evolution of a small-scale magnetic field, presumably produced by small-scale dynamo action in the solar interior. Sunspots, a natural consequence of the large-scale dynamo, emerge, evolve and disperse over a period of several days. Numerical simulations can help to determine the physical processes governing the emergence of sunspots. We discuss the interaction of these emerging fields with the pre-existing coronal field, resulting in a variety of dynamic phenomena.
Hood Alan William
Hughes David W. W.
No associations
LandOfFree
Solar Magnetic Fields does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Solar Magnetic Fields, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Solar Magnetic Fields will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-477639