Aditya-L1 VELC data shows tangled magnetic fields heat Sun's corona
India's Aditya-L1 mission just gave scientists a big clue about why the Sun's outer atmosphere (the corona) is so incredibly hot, way hotter than its surface.
Using data from the VELC instrument, researchers found that tangled magnetic field lines are behind the corona's extreme temperatures, which can soar approximately two million degrees (compared to "just" 5,500 degrees on the surface).
CMEs need constant energy refills
The team also looked at coronal mass ejections (CMEs), huge blasts of solar energy that can push corona temperatures up to 40 million degrees and happen several times a day.
These outbursts need constant energy refills from the Sun; otherwise, things could get dicey for Earth.
Thanks to Aditya-L1's nonstop observations and global teamwork, we're getting much better at understanding how our star works.
As V. Muthupriyal, project scientist for VELC, put it, "continuous and uninterrupted observations with VELC is a boon for not only solar physicists in our country but the entire world."