RARE VIEWS/ Scientists film the surface of the Sun in detail

Scientists have used the world's most powerful solar telescope to capture stunning new images of the Sun's surface in unprecedented detail. The observations reveal for the first time giant swirling plasma vortices that play a key role in creating so-called space weather.

The findings, published in the scientific journal Nature, were made possible by the Inouye Solar Telescope, which is located on the island of Maui, Hawaii. The region's exceptionally clear atmospheric conditions allow scientists to observe the Sun with a resolution that was previously impossible.

Images and videos have captured swirls of hot plasma on the Sun's surface. These movements distort and rotate the star's magnetic field, accumulating vast amounts of magnetic energy.

"The Sun is the source of all this energy and space weather. To be able to predict these phenomena more accurately one day, we need to understand its physics down to the smallest scales," said Dr. David Boboltz of the United States' National Solar Observatory (NSO).

Scientists observed a physical phenomenon known as the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, which occurs when two layers of fluid move at different speeds, creating spiral vortices. A similar phenomenon is also found in the oceans, where small ripples can develop into large, powerful waves.

In the case of the Sun, these vortices produce magnetic energy, which accumulates in the upper layers of the solar atmosphere. When this energy is released, it causes powerful solar flares.

"These rotating movements create magnetic energy, which can lead to large explosions," explained NSO astronomer Dr. David Kuridze.

These phenomena are the main cause of space weather, which can affect satellite communications, GPS systems, power grids and other critical infrastructure on Earth, while also potentially increasing risks to astronauts in space.

According to Dr. Friedrich Woeger, the discovery helps scientists better understand not only the mechanisms that cause space weather, but also one of the greatest mysteries of solar physics: why the upper layers of the Sun's atmosphere are so much hotter than its visible surface.

As he explained, the observations show how energy is transferred from the surface to the upper layers of the solar atmosphere, where it is finally released in the form of explosive phenomena.

Researchers estimate that a better understanding of these processes will lead to more reliable models for predicting future solar activity, allowing for timely protection of satellites, telecommunications systems, power grids and space missions.

At the same time, as Dr. Boboltz notes, the Sun remains a unique natural laboratory for understanding the fundamental laws of physics.

"It is the closest star to us and helps us understand the fundamental laws of nature. The first experimental confirmation of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity came from observations of a solar eclipse. For the advancement of human knowledge alone, such scientific research is worth conducting," he concluded. ©LAPSI.al