Review

#01

Core - where energy is generated in the Sun by nuclear fusion. Radiative Zone - inner region of the Sun where the energy is transported outwards from the core by radiation. Convective Zone - outer region of the Sun where energy is transported by ``boiling'' like motion of the gas. Atmosphere - the portion of the Sun that we see directly in light.

#11

The energy diffuses through the radiative zone via light. When it reaches the convective zone, boiling-like motion of hot and cold cells transport energy to the atmosphere, where glowing allows the energy to radiate into space.

#13

Coronium refers to highly ionized atoms that produced spectral line features from the solar corona. Such high ionizations can only occur in extremely hot gas, showing that the corona itself is extremely hot.

#15

This is the time for the polarity reversal to repeat itself (i.e., the flipping of the solar magnetic field to go through one complete cycle).

#17

This hot plasma can pass over the Earth, influence our magnetosphere, affect orbiting satellites, and even impact our ground power grids.

#18

These particles come out directly from the core, thus providing our only direct clues about conditions in the solar core, particularly in relation to nuclear fusion.

#19

It appears now that neutrinos, which come in different types, can actually change type in the time it takes for them to travel from the Sun to the Earth.

#20

Initially we would not notice any change. Light that is generated this instant in the core will take about 100,000 years to emerge from the photosphere. After that time the Sun would progressively grow dimmer and dimmer. Neutrinos on the other hand would cease to be observed at Earth 8 minutes after the core fusion stopped.