Giant Plasma Tides Beneath the Sun: Indian Scientists Unlock Solar Secrets That Could Shape Space Weather
In a groundbreaking discovery that may significantly alter our understanding of solar dynamics and space weather, an international team of solar physicists, led by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), has mapped giant tides of plasma flowing beneath the surface of the sun. These hidden plasma currents, located in a zone known as the near-surface shear layer (NSSL), have been shown to shift with the sun’s magnetic activity and could be a critical piece in solving the complex puzzle of space weather phenomena that affect life on Earth. The research, published in the prestigious Astrophysical Journal Letters , was carried out in collaboration with experts from Stanford University and the U.S. National Solar Observatory (NSO). The findings not only uncover previously invisible solar plasma flows , but also link them with magnetic field changes and solar cycles, offering new insight into the sun’s mysterious behavior. The Hidden Engine Beneath the Sun: What is the Near-Surface S...