Astronomy Chapter 14 Module 14 HW4

A solar (a) (or (ab) when viewed against the solar disk) is a large, bright feature often in a loop shape extending outward from the Sun's surface. A solar (b) is an intense flash of light coming from the release of magnetic energy (c) is a giant cloud of particles hurled from the Sun into space. (d) are low density regions extending above areas where the solar magnetic field opens freely into interplanetary space allowing charged particles to escape the Sun, becoming part of the solar wind. (e) are pipes few hundred miles in diameter and few thousand miles long made of plasma shooting at 50,000 kilometers per hour above the photosphere.

(a) prominence (ab) filament (b) flare (c) coronal mass ejection (d) coronal holes (e) spicules

Identify the forms of solar activity and "surface" features shown in the images below

(a) sunspots (b) coronal mass ejection (c) filament (d) tornado (e) spicules (f) sunspot (g) flare (h) prominence (i) granules

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the 11-year sunspot cycle?

****The sunspot cycle is very steady, so that each 11-year cycle is nearly identical to every other 11-year cycle. The likelihood of seeing solar prominences or solar flares is higher when sunspots are more common and lower when they are less common. The Sun's entire magnetic field flip-flops at the end of each cycle (at solar minimum). The number of sunspots on the Sun at any one time gradually rises and falls, with an average of 11 years between the times when sunspots are most numerous.

Which of the following statements are true? (mark all that apply)

- Sun has a very large and very complex magnetic field. - Solar magnetic field changes overtime and undergoes spontaneous reversals about every 11 years. - The strength of magnetic field near sunspots may exceed 1000 times the average strength on the surface of the Sun. - Magnetic reconnection events are often accompanied by flares and coronal mass ejections

How is the sunspot cycle directly relevant to us here on Earth?

Coronal mass ejections and other activity associated with the sunspot cycle can disrupt radio communications and damage electronic equipment, power grid, pipelines and satellites.

Satellites in low-Earth orbits are more likely to crash to Earth when the sunspot cycle is near solar maximum because

Earth's upper atmosphere tends to expand during solar maximum, exerting drag on satellites in low orbits

Which of the following statements are true? (mark all that apply)

Sunspot activity wanes and ebbs in 11 year cycle matching Sun's magnetic pole reversals - During solar minimum there are few if any sunspots. - A prominence is a large, bright feature often in a loop shape extending outward from the Sun's surface. - Coronal mass ejections are giant bubbles of plasma hurled suddenly from the Sun out into space. - Solar flare is a sudden burst of radiation whereas coronal mass ejection is s a sudden burst of plasma.

Which of the following statements about the sunspot cycle is not true?

The number of sunspots peaks approximately every 11 years. With each subsequent peak in the number of sunspots, the magnetic polarity of the Sun is the reverse of the previous peak. ***The rate of nuclear fusion in the Sun peaks about every 11 years. The cycle is truly a cycle of magnetic activity, and variations in the number of sunspots are only one manifestation of the cycle. The number of solar flares peaks about every 11 years.

Why do sunspots appear dark in pictures of the Sun?

They actually are fairly bright, but appear dark against the even brighter background of the surrounding photosphere.

What do sunspots, solar prominences, and solar flares all have in common?

They are all strongly influenced by magnetic fields on the Sun.

The Sun's surface seethes and churns with a bubbling pattern. Why?

We are seeing hot gas rising and cool gas falling due to the convection that occurs beneath the surface.

What observations characterize solar maximum?

We see many sunspots on the surface of the Sun.

How can we measure the strength of magnetic fields on the Sun?

by looking for the splitting of spectral lines in the Sun's spectrum

The intricate patterns visible in an X-ray image of the Sun generally show

extremely hot plasma flowing along magnetic field lines.

Sunspots are cooler than the surrounding solar surface because

strong magnetic fields slow convection and prevent hot plasma from entering the region.

What is granulation in the Sun?

the bubbling pattern on the photosphere produced by the underlying convection

What processes are involved in the sunspot cycle?

the winding of magnetic field lines due to differential rotation