For the First Time, Scientists Mapped Magnetic Fields on the Far Side of the Sun Without Seeing It
The Daily Galaxy • • science
Key Points:
- Scientists have developed a method to identify magnetic fields and their polarity on the far side of the sun by analyzing sound waves traveling through the solar interior, enabling detection of active regions and their magnetic structure before they rotate into Earth's view.
- Previously, helioseismology allowed detection of far-side solar activity but could not determine magnetic polarity; the new technique uses tiny shifts in wave signals to reveal whether magnetic fields point outward or inward, which influences the potential strength of solar eruptions.
- This breakthrough relies on data from the NSF-NOAA Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG), a global array of telescopes that continuously monitor solar oscillations, uncovering subtler information about magnetic structures than was known before.
- Understanding magnetic polarity on the sun’s far side is crucial for anticipating space weather events, as strong magnetic regions often trigger solar eruptions that can disrupt satellites, navigation, and power systems on Earth.
