Sun Reveals Two Huge Coronal Holes

Solar physicists in Japan announce the discovery of two huge holes in the surface of the Sun. They say that the structures are most likely gateways through which the star expels matter and gas from its interior into its surroundings.

According to the research team, the new image was snapped using the Hinode satellite, a Sun-watching spacecraft that the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has been operating for 5+ years.

The probe is placed in a quasi-circular, Sun-synchronous orbit, which means that it can conduct observations of its target nearly around the clock. It captured the new views of the solar corona on February 1.

What the images indicate is that the outer atmosphere of the Sun, called the corona, is exhibiting areas that are darker, colder, and feature lower-density plasma than average. They can usually be seen only with X-ray telescopes.

Scientists have determined a long time ago that these holes are accompanied by open magnetic field lines. In turn, these lines are known to allow the fast moving components of solar winds to pass through.

Therefore, the coronal holes are one of the main connections the Sun has with the outside world, investigators explain. Interestingly, these features develop in small numbers during solar minimums, but exhibit a boom during solar maximums.

In the recent observations, Hinode found one of the holes near the top center of the Sun, while the other one was discovered near the bottom of the star, as seen in the attached image, Space reports.

“The holes are relatively cool in temperature as compared to the active regions nearby – such as the bright region on the lower left portion of the solar disk – the cooler temperature is one of the reasons for the darker appearance,” NASA explains in a statement.

Investigating the solar corona could give us more clues as to how the Sun generates the vast amounts of energy it does. New data could also help determine how this energy moves through the various layers of the solar atmosphere.

The Japanese spacecraft features a suite of scientific instruments that allows it to conduct such observations with extreme proficiency. Its contributions to understanding how the Sun functions are invaluable, experts agree.