Researchers using Inouye Solar Telescope detect KHI on Sun's surface
Technology
A team just discovered a swirling plasma phenomenon on the Sun's surface, thanks to Hawaii's Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope.
It's called Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI): basically, when layers of plasma move at different speeds and create turbulence.
This breakthrough could help improve future space-weather forecasting.
KHI could improve space weather forecasts
Understanding these swirls could help scientists understand how energy builds up before a solar flare, which can mess with satellites, power grids, and even your phone signal on Earth.
The fact that KHI was spotted right on the Sun's surface (not just in its atmosphere) gives researchers a new clue for forecasting space weather more accurately.