The Dangers of Solar Storms and Solar Cycles

The Sun

Radius = 696,000 kmMass = 2E30 kgLuminosity = 3.8E26 WRotation Rate

25 days at the equator and 30 days at the poles

Surface Temp 5,800 K average, 4,000 K sunspots(Ref 1)

The Sun: Fusion

Nuclear fusion is the source of all the energy released by the sun Steady fusion rates maintain a steady

luminosity Hydrogen fusion is the primary

mechanism▪ P-P chain▪ CNO cycle

(Content: Ref 13)

(Image: Ref 10)

The Sun: Composition

For every 1 million atoms of hydrogen in the entire sun 98,000 atoms of helium 850 of oxygen 360 of carbon 120 of neon 110 of nitrogen 40 of magnesium 35 of silicon 35 of iron(Content: Ref 13)

(Image: Ref 11)

The Sun

Plasma Gas whose temperature is so hot it

becomes sensitive to magnetism Ionized due to high temperatures

Most energy is lost to electromagnetic radiation Visible light Infrared(Ref 13)

The Sun: Energy Output

Particle radiation also emits energy Flares and coronal mass ejections

release intense concentrations of energetic particles

Hazardous to astronauts in orbit and satellites

(Content: Ref 13)

(Image: Ref 12)

References

1. Bennett, Jeffery, Donahue, Megan, Schneider, Nicholas, Voit, Mark, The Cosmic Perspective, 2007 Pearson Education Inc, San Franscisco CA, p.477-496

2. Pacella, Rena Marie. “Anatomy of a Solar Storm.” Popular Science. May 2007. <http://www.popsci.com/popsci/aviationspace/7250d257d5ed2110vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html>.

3. Phillips, Tony. “Solar Storm Warning.” NASA. 15 March, 2006. 9 October, 2007. <http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/10mar_stormwarning.html >.

4. “SOHO Fact Sheet.” European Space Agency. 30 June, 2003. 4 December, 2007. <http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/about/docs/SOHO_Fact_Sheet.pdf>.

References

5. Phillips, Tony. “Solar Storm Warning.” NASA. 15 March, 2006. 9 October, 2007. <http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/10mar_stormwarning.html>.

6. Odenwald, Sten. “Solar Storms.” Washington Post. 10 March, 1999. 17 October, 2007. <http://solar.physics.montana.edu/press/WashPost/Horizon/196l-031099-idx.html>.

7. “STEREO - Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory.” NASA. 25 September, 2007. 4 December, 2007. <http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/img/mpb.pdf>.

8. Roth, M. “Future missions for helioseismology.” Modern Solar Facilities – Advanced Solar Science, 85–88. 4 December, 2007. <http://www.mps.mpg.de/projects/seismo/papers/goe_roth.pdf>.

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References

9. Phillips, Tony PhD “Who’s Afraid of a Solar Flare?” NASA Science. October 2005. <http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/07oct_afraid.htm>.

10. http://atropos.as.arizona.edu/aiz/teaching/a250/pp.html 11. http://webusers.astro.umn.edu/~larry/CLASS/AST2001/

pre2007/massive_star_struct.jpg12. http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/

soho_top10_winners_031125-2.html13. http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/

sun_worldbook.html#backToTop

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