Waspie_Dwarf Posted September 28, 2013 #1 Share Posted September 28, 2013 SUNRISE Offers New Insight on Sun's Atmosphere Three months after the flight of the solar observatory Sunrise – carried aloft by a NASA scientific balloon in early June 2013 -- scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Germany have presented unique insights into a layer on the sun called the chromosphere. Sunrise provided the highest-resolution images to date in ultraviolet light of this thin corrugated layer, which lies between the sun's visible surface and the sun's outer atmosphere, the corona.Read more... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freetoroam Posted September 29, 2013 #2 Share Posted September 29, 2013 I hope the purpose of this is to examine just how harmful the sun can be to humans, some people are still not aware of the powers of the sun. Also will they be looking for changes in the temperature in the chromosphere over the coming years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Merton Posted September 29, 2013 #3 Share Posted September 29, 2013 Correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding of the high temperature of the corona is that it doesn't represent any danger because although the particles are at a very high temperature the density is near vacuum. The dangers the sun represent come from lower down where there are greater densities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted September 29, 2013 Author #4 Share Posted September 29, 2013 I hope the purpose of this is to examine just how harmful the sun can be to humans, some people are still not aware of the powers of the sun. Also will they be looking for changes in the temperature in the chromosphere over the coming years? The purpose of this is scientific understanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted September 29, 2013 Author #5 Share Posted September 29, 2013 Correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding of the high temperature of the corona is that it doesn't represent any danger because although the particles are at a very high temperature the density is near vacuum. You are correct about the science, although I'm not sure that I fully understand by what you mean by danger in this context. Because the corona is so sparse, whilst the temperature is high the actual amount of heat energy involved is relatively low. An analogy I have used before (because not every one can visualise the difference between heat and temperature) is a candle and a radiator. You would never be able to heat a room with a candle, but stick one hand on the radiati=or and the other in the candle flame and see which hand burns first (don't try this at home folks). The dangers the sun represent come from lower down where there are greater densities. Again I'm not 100% sure what you mean by dangers (forgive me if I'm being dense, it is the early hours of the morning and my brain has gone to bed leaving my body in charge). Since the Sun's energy is generated at the core this is where most of the electromagnetic radiation (light, heat,UV, x-rays, etc) will be generated. Solar flares and coronal mass ejections are generated on the surface of the Sun, below the corona. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Merton Posted September 29, 2013 #6 Share Posted September 29, 2013 Solar flares and mass ejections are mainly what I had in mind; I was deliberately vague because I don't have a complete catalog of threats that come from the sun. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freetoroam Posted September 30, 2013 #7 Share Posted September 30, 2013 The purpose of this is scientific understanding. I gathered that, but is it to help mankind in the future or is it strictly private scientific understanding cos we are not big enough to save if there are any dangers to know about? When I say we, I mean the likes of me and my dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted September 30, 2013 Author #8 Share Posted September 30, 2013 I gathered that, but is it to help mankind in the future or is it strictly private scientific understanding cos we are not big enough to save if there are any dangers to know about? When I say we, I mean the likes of me and my dog. Anyone that had even the slightest grasp of what science is would not ask such a question. They would know that ALL knowledge is beneficial to mankind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freetoroam Posted September 30, 2013 #9 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Anyone that had even the slightest grasp of what science is would not ask such a question. They would know that ALL knowledge is beneficial to mankind. So the purpose IS to find out if the dangers or possible future dangers, as well as scientific understanding? I am only asking as to improve the slight grasp of science I do not as yet have, but the more I ask, the better I will get. I could be your right hand woman at this stage Waspie.....one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted September 30, 2013 Author #10 Share Posted September 30, 2013 So the purpose IS to find out if the dangers or possible future dangers, as well as scientific understanding? How can you know HOW knowledge will benefit mankind BEFORE you know what you are going to learn? These are scientists not mind readers or time travellers. Such knowledge MAY lead to direct benefits to mankind, they may not. What is sure is that ignorance NEVER benefits mankind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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