Astronomers Capture Highest-Resolution Image of Sun's Surface
Summary
Astronomers have captured the highest-resolution image ever of the Sun’s visible surface, revealing tiny swirling plasma structures linked to Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. The discovery could help explain why the Sun’s outer atmosphere is so hot and how magnetic energy is stored and released.
Key Points
- An international team of astronomers released the highest-resolution image ever of the Sun’s visible surface using the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii.
- The image reveals tiny band-like and swirling plasma structures near a sunspot, some only slightly more than 20 kilometers wide.
- Researchers linked the patterns to Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, confirming for the first time that the phenomenon occurs on the Sun.
- Sami Solanki of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research said the finding shows how small processes shape the nature of the Sun.
