What do you mean by the Solar Wind?

Asked 01-Mar-2018
Viewed 473 times

1 Answer


0

Solar Wind is the stream of charged particles that are released from the upper layer of the Sun. The upper layer of the Sun is known as the ‘CORONA’.

What do you mean by the Solar Wind?


Solar wind
When the temperature of the Sun reaches the level of 1.1 million degrees Celcius in the uppermost layer then the gravity of the Sun can’t hold the fast-moving particles from the surface and these particles move away from the star with the kinetic energy which lies between 0.5 to 10 keV.

The property of these winds is changing with the situation of the Sun because the Sun changes from time to time like its rotating speed, magnetic field, velocity, temperature, and many more.

The velocity of Solar Wind is higher at the hole of the Corona where it reaches the speed of 800 km per second. The density and the temperature at the Corona holes are low and also the magnetic field is very low. These types of holes occur at the poles and the lower part of the latitude. The wind reaches to their highest when the Sun comes to its minimum capability. The temperature of the fast wind can reach up to 800,000 Celcius.

How the Solar Winds affecting the earth
As we have studied that the Solar Wind carries high charged particles and magnetic cloudswhich are emitted in all directions.
The radiation that is spread out by the Solar Wind can cause severe effects on the planets including earth and it can cause huge damage to the life of people and animals. It seems like nature has given us everything we need because at this hostility we have the shield of the Magnetic field of the earth which acts as the shield in the protection from the Solar Wind.

Coronal mass
Both the light and the strong solar wind can be interrupted by a large fast-moving burst of Plasma. And this is called the Coronal Mass injectionand sometimes it is called the CMEs. And these CMEs are caused by the release of Magnetic energy at the Sun.

Read More: What Is Big Bang Theory?