The Sun may look calm from Earth, but it’s anything but that up close. Positioned 150 million kilometers away, we’re safe from its chaotic energy. It’s like a giant particle accelerator, ejecting tiny particles at incredible speeds into space.
Researchers highlight that the Sun is indeed the most potent particle accelerator in our solar system. According to Alexander Warmuth, the lead author of a recent study, solar events like flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) send various streams of particles, each with its unique characteristics and origin.
Warmuth notes a clear division between two types of solar energetic electrons (SEEs): “impulsive” and “gradual”. The impulsive ones quickly burst out during solar flares, while gradual ones emerge from extended CMEs over a longer time. This distinction helps scientists understand how these particles behave and where they come from.
The European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter, which can approach the Sun as close as 42 million kilometers, collected data on SNEs during solar events. This close-up perspective allowed researchers to accurately pinpoint where and when these particles are generated on the Sun.
The study is a major breakthrough. An analysis of over 300 SEE events from 2020 to 2022 provided detailed insights into how these particles interact with their environment. For the first time, scientists connected the particles’ origin to solar events in real-time. Frederic Schuller, another researcher on the team, emphasizes that Solar Orbiter offered a rare opportunity to observe these processes directly.
The probe’s unique orbit provided data from various distances, shedding light on how electrons travel and behave in space. This includes clarifying why we often see delays between the visual signs of solar flares and the arrival of energetic particles. Laura Rodríguez-García explains it isn’t a delay in release but a delay in detection due to turbulence scattering the electrons in different directions. As they travel away from the Sun, it takes time for us to notice them.
Understanding solar activity is more than just scientific curiosity. It holds practical importance too. As Warmuth notes, insights gained from Solar Orbiter can help protect future astronauts and satellites from harmful bursts of solar energy.
These findings are timely. As our reliance on technology grows, so does our exposure to solar events. A study from NASA found that 60% of satellites may be impacted by solar storms, underscoring the importance of understanding our star. With ongoing analysis, Solar Orbiter promises to further uncover the mysteries of the Sun, enabling us to safeguard our technology in an increasingly solar-particle-heavy environment.
This research highlights the intricate relationship between us and our star, reinforcing why studying solar activity is valuable for not only science, but also for the safety of our technological infrastructure. The study was published in Astronomy & Astrophysics.
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