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Magnetic Field Reversals on the Sun



 
 
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Old August 2nd 11, 08:28 AM posted to sci.physics,sci.astro
Frisbieinstein
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Default Magnetic Field Reversals on the Sun

On Aug 2, 2:10*am, Sam Wormley wrote:
The question was recently put to me: What causes the Magnetic Field
Reversals on the Sun?

Although certainly observed, I don't think the solar dynamo is well
enough understood to know why there is such regularity of magnetic field
reversals. I wouldn't be surprise if that answer is just around the
corner.

Some Background:
* *http://science.nasa.gov/science-news...01/ast15feb_1/


The way I (weakly) understand it:

The magnetic field of all stars is largely toroidal. Some of this
field is below the surface of the sun in the form of flux tubes.
These can be seen in videos of our sun. Hotter portions of these flux
tubes tend to rise and expand due to magnetic buoyancy. Sometimes a
portion of the tube will rise past the "surface" of the sun. The
places where the tube penetrates the surface form a pair of sunspots.
These spots are cooler because the cooler portion of the tube is down
low, the hotter portion is above. These spots always form pairs, +
and -. The pairs move away from one another. The + spot is
attracted to the - pole, the - spot is attracted to the + pole. When
they arrive there, part of the polar field is cancelled. As the polar
field weakens the system becomes even less stable and more sunspots
form. The Sun goes through a year with no clear polarity, then (for
some reason) emerges with the poles reversed.
 




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