Threat of Sunshine
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Transcript Threat of Sunshine
The Dangers of Solar Storms and Solar Cycles
Radius = 696,000 km
Mass = 2E30 kg
Luminosity = 3.8E26 W
Rotation Rate
25 days at the equator and 30 days at the poles
Surface Temp
5,800 K average, 4,000 K sunspots
(Ref 1)
Nuclear fusion is the source of all the energy
released by the sun
Steady fusion rates maintain a steady luminosity
Hydrogen fusion is the primary mechanism
▪ P-P chain
▪ CNO cycle
(Content: Ref 13)
(Image: Ref 10)
For every 1 million atoms of hydrogen in the
entire sun
98,000 atoms of helium
850 of oxygen
360 of carbon
120 of neon
110 of nitrogen
40 of magnesium
35 of silicon
35 of iron
(Content: Ref 13)
(Image: Ref 11)
Plasma
Gas whose temperature is so hot it becomes
sensitive to magnetism
Ionized due to high temperatures
Most energy is lost to electromagnetic
radiation
Visible light
Infrared
(Ref 13)
Particle radiation also emits energy
Flares and coronal mass ejections release intense
concentrations of energetic particles
Hazardous to astronauts in orbit and satellites
(Content: Ref 13)
(Image: Ref 12)
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