Some of the sun's messy 'coronal loops' may be an optical illusion
Some coronal loops that make the sun appear like a messy ball of yarn may be an illusion created by folds and wrinkles in veils of material in our star.
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Some coronal loops that make the sun appear like a messy ball of yarn may be an illusion created by folds and wrinkles in veils of material in our star.
Massive arches of plasma in the sun’s atmosphere, called coronal loops, have long been used by scientists to measure the temperature and density of the sun.
Folds in the plasma that streams from the sun might trick the eye into seeing the well-defined arches, computer simulations of the solar atmosphere show.
We've all seen the gorgeous images and videos of coronal loops. They're curved magnetic forms that force brightly glowing plasma to travel along their path. They arch up above the Sun, sometimes for thousands of kilometres, before reconnecting...
Get latest articles and stories on Science at LatestLY. Coronal loops are the ropey strands of plasma that scientists have long thought existed in the Sun's atmosphere. According to a new study, many coronal loops may actually be optical illusions. The study challenged prevailing assumptions of what is known and unknown about the Sun. Science News | Study Reveals That Solar Coronal Loops May Be Optical Illusions.