The solar wind is swirly

(Phys.org)—Using ESA's Cluster quartet of satellites as a space plasma microscope, scientists have zoomed in on the solar wind to reveal the finest detail yet, finding tiny turbulent swirls that could play a big role in ...

Study confirms 'gusty winds' in space turbulence

A research team led by the University of Iowa reports to have directly measured a kind of turbulence that occurs in space plasma for the first time in the laboratory.

Solar minimum; solar maximum

(Phys.org)—The picture on the left shows a calm sun from Oct. 2010. The right side, from Oct. 2012, shows a much more active and varied solar atmosphere as the sun moves closer to peak solar activity, a peak known as solar ...

Total solar eclipse viewed from Australia

On Nov. 13, 2012, a narrow corridor in the southern hemisphere experienced a total solar eclipse. The corridor lay mostly over the ocean but also cut across the northern tip of Australia where both professional and amateur ...

High-frequency flux transfer events detected near Mercury

The physical process that creates connections between the magnetic fields emanating from the Sun and a planet - a process known as magnetic reconnection - creates a portal through which solar plasma can penetrate the planetary ...

The science behind northern lights

(Phys.org)—Northern night skies have recently been alive with light. Those shimmering curtains get their start about 93 million miles away, on the sun.

Discovery of the "Pigtail" molecular cloud

A research team of the Department of Physics, Keio University, has discovered a molecular cloud with a peculiar helical structure by observation with the NRO 45m Telescope at Nobeyama Radio Observatory, National Astronomical ...

Thin current sheets in space: where the action is

Much of the exciting action is space is confined to thin boundaries. The Universe is filled with plasma, a charged gas consisting of ions and electrons. Thin sheets with currents separate large plasma regions in space. Scientists ...

Shear layers in solar winds affect Earth's magnetosphere

Human society is increasingly reliant on technology that can be disrupted by space weather. For instance, geomagnetic storms can cause high-latitude air flights to be rerouted, costing as much as $100,000 per flight; induce ...

The Sun spits out a coronal mass ejection

Ever squirted water out of your mouth when playing in a swimming pool or lake? This Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) release by the Sun on April 15, 2012 looks reminiscent of such water spouting.

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