NASA Probe Unravels Mystery of Sun's Super-Hot Corona
May 13, 2024![NASA Probe Unravels Mystery of Sun's Super-Hot Corona](https://cdn.brief.news/images/stories/18f2ed5d3104c4cc9a9cda09a3481094d68465e8e2ac709738923bfb12238a2edd5be8bf567ec6dab8a97f1f68c89bd99a627cffb8633f914e6b34480bcdce85.png)
The NASA Parker Solar Probe, launched in 2018, has been instrumental in providing data to understand why the sun's corona is significantly hotter than its surface.
Recent findings indicate that small-scale magnetic activities within the sun's atmosphere are the main drivers heating the corona to temperatures exceeding a million degrees.
The sun's internal magnetic engine, which lies beneath the surface, is the powerhouse for various solar phenomena such as solar flares, sunspots, and outbursts.
Magnetic fields at the sun's surface are concentrated at the edges of convective cells, causing transient jets and nanoflares that interact with the solar plasma, contributing to the corona's heat.
The Parker Solar Probe's observations have deepened the understanding of the sun's magnetic dynamics and its influence on the corona's extreme temperature.
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![NASA’s Quest to Touch the Sun](https://cdn.brief.news/images/links/18f2ed5d3104c4cc9a9cda09a3481094d68465e8e2ac709738923bfb12238a2edd5be8bf567ec6dab8a97f1f68c89bd99a627cffb8633f914e6b34480bcdce85.png)
WIRED • May 12, 2024
NASA’s Quest to Touch the Sun