Short Wave Getting Closer To The Sun Than Ever Before
Dec 9, 2019
Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR science correspondent, dives into the groundbreaking Parker Solar Probe mission. She reveals how the spacecraft is uncovering strange magnetic fields and rogue plasma waves near the sun. The mission sheds light on the puzzling phenomenon of the solar corona being hotter than the sun's surface. Nell also discusses Eugene Parker's revolutionary theories on solar wind and the profound implications these discoveries have for understanding space weather and its effects on Earth.
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Sun's Corona Mystery
- The sun's corona, visible during eclipses, is hotter than its surface.
- This defies common sense, like a campfire getting hotter as you walk away.
Eugene Parker's Vindication
- In the 1950s, Eugene Parker theorized the 'solar wind', a stream of charged particles from the sun.
- Initially ridiculed, Parker's theory was later confirmed, earning him the rare honor of a NASA mission named after him during his lifetime.
Unexpected Solar Wind Behavior
- Close observations from the Parker Solar Probe reveal unexpected solar wind behavior.
- Rapid speed fluctuations and magnetic field flips are observed, potentially explaining the corona's high temperature.