Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research have uncovered the hidden mechanism that allows giant formations known as solar prominences to remain suspended in space for weeks or months without falling.
These structures are composed of plasma, a fourth state of matter characterized by its electric charge and high temperature. Solar prominences are among the most mysterious phenomena due to their high density and relative coolness compared to their surroundings.
Details of the Discovery
Solar prominences are significantly cooler than the corona, the sun's outer atmosphere, with temperatures reaching around 10,000 degrees Celsius, while the corona ranges between 1 and 3 million degrees Celsius. Even more strangely, their density exceeds that of their surroundings by a factor of one hundred, making their existence in space physically illogical.
Dr. Lisa Marie Ziesner explains that the density of solar prominence material is typically two orders of magnitude higher than that of the surrounding corona. This can be likened to a piece of wood floating in the air. Research confirms that the magnetic fields generated by the movement of electric charges within the sun are the