Sun’s coronal ejections attributable to magnetic ropes, galactic weathermen to foretell solar storms?

Space weather gets nasty when the sun starts shooting plasma into the cosmos, and these solar storms wreak havoc on both satellites and gadgets here on the planet. Scientists desire to predict the sun’s eruptions that will protect our gear (and know one of the best time to move tanning), and George Mason University researchers have made a discovery that will help us achieve this. By examining images from NASA’s Solar Dynamic Observatory spacecraft , Professor Jie Zhang and grad student Xin Cheng determined that magnetic ropes are causing coronal ejections . The ropes are formed by several magnetic fields wrapped around one another, and scientists believe they are able to carry electrical currents strong enough to cause the plasma bursts. Previous to an eruption, Zhang observed a low-lying channel with unique electromagnetic properties (believed to be a magnetic rope) heat a part of the sun’s surface as much as 10 million degrees. Once hot enough, the spot spewed forth copious amounts of the plasma and magnetic energy that provides GPS units and phones fits. Now that we all know what gets Helios all riled up, we just ought to discover a strategy to calm him down . Close-ups of the sun in its tizzy are after the break.

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This post is tagged: copious amounts, earth scientists, electrical currents, electromagnetic properties, george mason university, magnetic fields, university researchers