Magnetic Trees help researchers unearth hidden flow in the Sun’s upper atmosphere

Why in news

Researchers have revealed a hidden connection between the Sun’s surface and its upper layers, making fresh inroads to understanding space weather that affects satellites, communication systems, navigation networks, and power grids on Earth.

Exam relevance

GS3 · Science & Technology · Prelims · Mains

Key facts

1. Scientists have discovered that the Sun's meridional flow, a slow but steady movement of hot gas or plasma from its equator toward the poles, continues much higher into the Sun's atmosphere than previously known.
2. The meridional flow acts like a giant conveyor belt, transporting the Sun’s magnetic fields across its surface and playing an important role in controlling the Sun’s 11-year solar cycle.
3. Previously, this flow had only been observed in the Sun’s lower atmospheric layers.
4. The new study was led by scientists from Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
5. Collaborating institutions include Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
6. This discovery reveals an underlying link between the Sun's surface and its upper atmospheric layers.

Prelims pointers

• What is meridional flow in the context of the Sun?
• Role of meridional flow in the Sun's 11-year solar cycle.
• Impact of space weather on Earth's technology (satellites, communication, power grids).
• Key Indian institutions involved in the research (ARIES, PRL, IIT Delhi, IIST).

Mains practice question

Discuss the significance of understanding solar phenomena like the meridional flow in predicting space weather and its implications for safeguarding Earth's technological infrastructure. (150 words)

Static linkage

The Sun's activity, including the solar cycle and space weather phenomena, directly impacts Earth's technological infrastructure such as satellites, communication systems, navigation networks, and power grids. Understanding these solar processes is crucial for predicting and mitigating space weather effects.

Significance

This research provides a deeper understanding of the Sun's internal dynamics and its connection to the upper atmosphere. It is crucial for improving predictions of space weather, which can safeguard critical Earth-based and space-based technological systems from potential disruptions caused by solar activity.