Menu

Search

  |   Science

Menu

  |   Science

Search

NASA makes breakthrough in witnessing mass ejection on sun

LoganArt/Pixabay

NASA’s scientists were able to make a breakthrough when it comes to space exploration. The agency’s Parker Solar Probe was able to witness a phenomenon occurring on the system’s host star.

Express reports that in November 2019, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe was able to catch a mass ejection on the sun. This mass ejection, or more referred to as a coronal mass ejection, is when the sun throws off charged particles of plasma off the sun, sending it into the solar system. This event would come just before the probe finished its close pass behind the sun between the 11th and 12th of November.

Dr. Kelly Korreck, a Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory solar physicist said that regarding the footage of the sun’s activity resulting in the ejection, there would normally be a lot of activity going on. However, in the footage, there was not much. “When we looked at this initially, just the thermal data, we didn’t necessarily think there would be a mass ejection there,” said Dr. Korreck.

It was when the focus shifted onto the more energetic particles in other angles of the footage, a fingerprint of a shock was found. This would usually occur in a coronal mass ejection. Given that the Parker Solar Probe is known for flying a lot closer to the sun compared to other probes or aircraft it would mean that the Probe has been witnessing coronal mass ejections long before this. Korreck stated that just being able to catch a stealth coronal mass ejection is progress in itself.

While climate change is affecting the world bit by bit every day, NASA’s scientists warn that the Earth could be faced with yet another ice age but on a smaller scale this year and in the years to come. This is because the Sun is set to go into hibernation, resulting in a solar minimum that would cause temperatures to drop, most especially in the Northern Hemisphere of the world.

This period of solar minimum, or in this case, Grand Solar Minimum, can potentially last for three decades. This would also mean cold and wet summers and even wetter winter seasons. However, other scientists would disagree as even though there would be a solar minimum, climate change would offset the cooling.

  • Market Data
Close

Welcome to EconoTimes

Sign up for daily updates for the most important
stories unfolding in the global economy.