Latest news with #Inouye
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Stunning 'Solar Curtains' Phenomenon Revealed on The Sun in New Images
Upgrades to the National Science Foundation's Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope have delivered stunning new images of the Sun's surface containing structures a mere 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) across. The radiant 'curtains' are only about as thick as Manhattan is long, driven across the solar landscape by fluctuations in magnetic fields that emerge from within the broiling plasma that surrounds the Sun. "In this work, we investigate the fine-scale structure of the solar surface for the first time with an unprecedented spatial resolution of just about 20 kilometers, or the length of Manhattan Island," says astronomer David Kuridze, from the NSO. "These striations are the fingerprints of fine-scale magnetic field variations." The new research, led by a team from the National Solar Observatory (NSO) in the US, gives us fresh insight into what's happening on the surface of the Sun, as well as once again demonstrating the optical power of the Inouye telescope. Let's not forget that the Sun is around 150 million kilometers away from Earth, so being able to spot distinctive features at this kind of resolution is a triumph of science and engineering. The striations appear at the edges of larger solar convection bubbles (or granules) previously observed by Inouye, caused by the heating and cooling of plasma. The brightness and darkness of the stripes is controlled by the strength of the magnetic field, and very slight variations in these fields can shift the properties of the plasma. When the field is weaker than its surroundings, the curtains dim with respect to its glowing background. The research team followed its observations with simulations of the physics of the phenomenon, finding a match that explained what the telescope was showing – although this wasn't something the astronomers had expected to see. "Magnetism is a fundamental phenomenon in the Universe, and similar magnetically induced stripes have also been observed in more distant astrophysical objects, such as molecular clouds," says NSO astronomer Han Uitenbroek. "Inouye's high resolution, in combination with simulations, allows us to better characterize the behavior of magnetic fields in a broad astrophysical context." There's a lot of incredibly complex physics behind the Sun's surface weather, and being able to view it in more detail will reveal the interactions of heat, magnetism, and movement – and how they might be playing out elsewhere in the Universe. And there's going to be plenty more to come from the Inouye telescope, which only started making scientific observations in earnest in 2022. The information we've already gleaned from its imagery will help us better understand events like sunspots and solar eruptions, which can have repercussions on Earth. "This is just one of many firsts for the Inouye, demonstrating how it continues to push the frontier of solar research," says NSO astronomer David Boboltz. "It also underscores Inouye's vital role in understanding the small-scale physics that drive space weather events that impact our increasingly technological society here on Earth." The research has been published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. The Sun's Fury Is Making SpaceX Satellites Plummet From The Sky Astronomers Just Discovered The Biggest Explosions Since The Big Bang Titan's Atmosphere 'Wobbles Like a Gyroscope' – And No One Knows Why
Gizmodo
6 days ago
- Climate
- Gizmodo
Sharpest View of the Sun Reveals Magnetic Stripes the Size of Manhattan
Scientists used the world's largest solar telescope to capture incredibly detailed images of the Sun's surface, revealing ultra-fine magnetic stripes rippling across the star and magnetic fields that resemble fluttering curtains, which modify light. The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope stands tall at 13 feet (4 meters) atop a volcano in Maui, Hawaii, staring at our host star with great intensity. Using the telescope's unique capabilities, a team led by scientists from the National Science Foundation (NSF) observed ultra-narrow bright and dark stripes on the solar photosphere at an unprecedented level of detail. The recent observations, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, offer new insight into how the Sun's magnetic fields shape the dynamics at its surface and affects space weather. The stripes, called striations, ripple across the walls of solar granules—convection cells in the Sun's photosphere where hot gas rises from inside the star to reach the surface. They're around 12 miles wide (20 kilometers), roughly the length of Manhattan, which is tiny compared to the monstrous size of the Sun. The striations are the result of curtain-like sheets of magnetic fields that ripple and shift across the surface of the Sun. As light from the granule walls passes through these fields, it appears to flutter and alternate between brightness and darkness. This variation is an indication of the underlying magnetic field, which appears dark when it's weaker and bright when it's relatively stronger. 'These striations are the fingerprints of fine-scale magnetic field variations,' David Kuridze, a scientist at the National Solar Observatory and the study's lead author, said in a statement. The team behind the study used the Inouye telescope's Visible Broadband Imager instrument, which operates in a specific range of visible light, called the G-band, that highlights areas with strong magnetic activity. Scientists then compared the telescope's images with simulations that recreate the physics of the Sun's surface, finding them to be in agreement. 'Magnetism is a fundamental phenomenon in the universe, and similar magnetically induced stripes have also been observed in more distant astrophysical objects, such as molecular clouds,' Han Uitenbroek, NSO scientist and co-author of the study, said in a statement. 'Inouye's high resolution, in combination with simulations, allows us to better characterize the behavior of magnetic fields in a broad astrophysical context.' Located approximately 93 million miles (149 million kilometers) from Earth, the Sun has been holding our solar system together with its gravity for nearly five billion years, and yet there is still so much we don't know about our host star. By studying the magnetic architecture of the solar surface, scientists are hoping to understand the physics behind solar eruptions, flares, and coronal mass ejections so that they can better predict space weather. The Sun is currently at solar maximum, a period of heightened activity in its 11-year cycle which is marked by intense flareups that can sometimes be directed toward Earth. On May 10, 2024, a G5 magnetic storm—classified as extreme—hit Earth as a result of large expulsions of plasma from the Sun's corona. The G5 storm, the largest in more than 20 years, caused some deleterious effects on Earth's power grid and some spectacular auroras seen across much of the globe. The storm also increased atmospheric density in low Earth orbit by up to an order of magnitude, which in turn caused atmospheric drag that affected satellites.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Sunspot larger than United States spotted in new image of the sun
SPACE (KXAN) — The world's largest solar telescope has revealed a sunspot larger than several planets. The Daniel K Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawai'i, operated by the National Science Foundation, captured the image using a new device: the Visible Tunable Filter (VTF). The image revealed a cluster of sunspots that covers 241 million square miles. For reference, the United States has a land mass of over 3.5 million square miles, according to the U.S. Census. According to the National Weather Service, sunspots are area where the sun's magnetic field is at its strongest. These spots are darker than the surrounding sun and serve as the origin point for solar flares and coronal mass ejections. VTF will help the Inouye telescope view the sun at much higher resolutions. The telescope is the largest solar telescope on Earth. These observations will help monitor solar weather, which can damage satellites around our planet. BACKGROUND: 'Violent solar events' at a high risk this week amid severe weather on the sun VTF took 15 years to build. Constructed at Germany's Institute for Solar Physics, it took months to install. The filter is the size of a small garage and weighs 5.6 tons. Monitoring solar weather helps us better understand impacts here on Earth. Beyond solar flares, solar weather is also responsible for the Aurora Borealis. A strong solar storm can cause the Northern Lights to be seen as far south as Texas. Recently, the sun reached the peak of its solar cycle. During a solar cycle, activity on the sun grows more intense over an eleven year period. After reaching a peak, this activity begins to drop off. This means fewer sun spots and solar flares. Recently, another large sunspot has begun emerging over the sun's northeastern limb. Called sunspot 4079, the sunspot is believed to be a new sighting of a previous sunspot, 4055. Sunspots are numbered each time they orbit around the sun. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Business Upturn
26-04-2025
- Health
- Business Upturn
Studies Uncover Hidden Urologic Risks—How Water, Chemicals and Everyday Exposures Impact Urinary Health
LAS VEGAS, April 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Groundbreaking research presented at the American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting in Las Vegas is shining a spotlight on the hidden environmental factors influencing urinary health. New studies reveal compelling links between local water quality and kidney stone burden, investigate the impact of electronic cigarette use on urinary carcinogen levels and explore associations between urologic cancers and exposures to microplastics, PFAS chemicals and arsenic in drinking water. Together, these findings underscore the urgent need to better understand how everyday environmental exposures may contribute to the risk of developing kidney stones and urologic cancers. Researchers will present their study findings covering important updates on toxins from April 26 to 29. Brian Inouye, MD, a reconstructive urologist at Albany Medical Health System, posed in-depth questions to the abstract authors, providing key insights into their research. 'Urologists spend a lot of time treating and understanding why people get urologic cancers,' Dr. Inouye said. 'For example, we know there is an association between smoking cigarettes and bladder cancer, which is why we encourage all our smoking patients to do their best to stop. However, there are many carcinogens that are in our everyday environment. These five studies examine if there are other toxins that we may unknowingly encounter in our society that may also increase our chance of having a urologic cancer.' The following abstracts are spotlighted in the AUA Press Program: A recording of the key findings from the abstract authors is available to all press registrants. Fill out the registration form on the website to be added to the virtual programming: NOTE TO REPORTERS: Presenting authors and moderators are available to discuss their findings. To arrange an interview with an expert, please contact the AUA Communications Team at [email protected]. About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology and has nearly 26,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy. Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
World's largest solar telescope shows off its full force with new image
The record-breaking Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) has captured another stunningly close look at the surface of our sun. DKIST has collected incredibly detailed images of the sun from its perch on the Haleakalā volcano in Maui since 2022, but the largest observational tool of its kind only managed its latest look thanks to a recent major milestone described as its 'technical first light.' Using its newly installed spectro-polarimeter visible tuner filter (VTF), DKIST has offered a stunningly close look at the sun's surface photosphere featuring a gigantic sunspot. 'The instrument is, so to speak, the heart of the solar telescope, which is now finally beating at its final destination,' VTF project scientist Matthias Schubert said in a statement. VTF's primary goal is to image the sun at the absolute highest spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions possible. Doing so will help experts gain a better understanding of the sun's dynamic and complex behaviors, particularly the powerful particles, solar energy, and stellar radiation it ejects across the solar system. These solar storms routinely produce colorful atmospheric auroras on Earth, but especially intense events can wreak havoc on satellites and global communications systems. Studying the sun's photosphere and chromosphere will allow researchers to examine how plasma flows and shifting magnetic fields interact to trigger surface eruptions. DKIST's VTF is specifically designed to help determine attributes like magnetic field strength, temperature, pressure, and plasma flow velocity. It is a massive addition to what is already a giant observational installation. At around the size of a small garage, the 5.6 ton instrument occupies two floors at the National Solar Observatory. The VTF was developed and constructed at Germany's Institute for Solar Physics over the last 15 years—nearly as long as the time spent on DKIST itself. The painstaking installation process began at the beginning of 2024, and took months of work to complete before it could be utilized for the first time. VTF's first public image also showcases one of our star's ever-changing sunspots, which are linked to comparatively strong magnetic fields that prevent plasma from escaping the star's interior. To record the event, the VTF relied on sunlight with a wavelength of 588.9 nanometers, and also depicts the sunspot's penumbra over a region measuring approximately 15,535-square-miles. 'The Inouye Solar Telescope was designed to study the underlying physics of the Sun as the driver of space weather,' said Christoph Keller, Director of the National Solar Observatory, which is responsible for operating DKIST. 'In pursuing this goal, the Inouye is an ideal platform for an unprecedented and pioneering instrument like the VTF.'
