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Chapter 14: Problem 36

Describe the solar corona. Under what circumstances can it be seen without special instruments?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The solar corona is the outermost part of the Sun's atmosphere, visible during a total solar eclipse.

Step by step solution

01

- Understanding the Solar Corona

The solar corona is the outermost part of the Sun's atmosphere. It is composed of highly ionized gases with temperatures exceeding one million degrees Celsius. The corona extends millions of kilometers into space and appears much hotter than the Sun's surface.
02

- visual characteristics

The corona emits light, but it is much fainter than the light produced by the Sun's surface. It is typically not visible due to the brightness of the Sun overpowering the faint corona.
03

- Viewing the Corona

Without special instruments, the solar corona can be seen during a total solar eclipse. During a total solar eclipse, the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, completely covering the Sun's bright surface. This allows the fainter corona to become visible around the obscured Sun.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Sun's Atmosphere
The Sun's atmosphere is a complex and fascinating region. It consists of several layers, each with distinct characteristics. The main layers are:
  • Photosphere: This is the visible surface of the Sun that we see from Earth.
  • Chromosphere: A layer above the photosphere, famous for its reddish color during solar events.
  • Corona: The outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere, extending millions of kilometers into space.
The corona is especially intriguing due to its high temperature, reaching over one million degrees Celsius, which is much hotter than the surface of the Sun. This high temperature results in the corona emitting a type of light not commonly visible under normal conditions.
Total Solar Eclipse
A total solar eclipse is a stunning natural phenomenon where the Moon completely blocks the Sun's light, casting a shadow on Earth. This alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Earth makes the Sun's otherwise invisible solar corona visible to the naked eye.

During a total solar eclipse, several stages can be observed:
  • First Contact: The Moon starts to move in front of the Sun.
  • Second Contact: The Sun is entirely covered by the Moon, making the corona visible.
  • Totality: The period when the Sun is completely obscured by the Moon, allowing a clear view of the corona.
  • Third Contact: The Moon begins to move away from the Sun.
  • Fourth Contact: The eclipse ends, and the Sun is fully visible again.
The solar corona appears as a beautiful halo around the Sun, and it's the only time the corona can be viewed without special instruments.
Coronal Temperature
One of the most fascinating aspects of the solar corona is its incredibly high temperature. Despite being the outer layer of the Sun's atmosphere, the corona can reach temperatures over one million degrees Celsius, much hotter than the Sun's surface, which is about 6,000 degrees Celsius. Scientists are still studying why the corona is so hot, but several theories exist:
  • Magnetic Heating: The Sun's magnetic field lines interact and reconnect, releasing vast amounts of energy.
  • Wave Heating: Waves generated by the Sun's turbulent surface may travel to the corona and dissipate their energy as heat.
This high temperature causes the corona to emit X-rays and extreme ultraviolet light, forms of light that are generally invisible to our eyes but vital for scientific study.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Coronal mass ejections a. carry away 1 percent of the mass of the Sun each year. b. are caused by breaking magnetic fields. c. are always emitted in the direction of Earth. d. are unimportant to life on Earth.

A high-energy photon and a neutrino are created in the Sun's core at the same instant. Which one will reach Earth first, and why? a. the neutrino, because neutrinos are much faster than light b. the photon, because nothing travels faster than light c. the neutrino, because neutrinos barely interact with matter d. the photon, because photons barely interact with matter

True or false: The Maunder Minimum shows a correlation between low solar activity and a cooler climate on Earth. This correlation means that the low solar activity definitely caused the cooler climate.

Gas is not an efficient conductor of thermal energy because the particles a. are too slow. b. are too far apart. c. are too heavy. d. don't interact with light.

Place the following regions of the Sun in order of increasing radius. a. corona b. core c. radiative zone d. convective zone e. chromosphere f. photosphere g. a sunspot
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