UPDATE: Leif Svalgaard provides us a magnetic movie (SDO HMI) which I’ve also converted and added below. It’s a real treat too.
This is truly an impressive animation from the folks at the Solar Dynamics Observatory. I’ve converted it to YouTube so more people can watch it. It shows the 5 day time lapse formation of massive sunspot group 1158 from nothing. What’s neat is how the perspective is maintained. I’ve never seen anything quite like this. Less than a week ago, sunspot 1158 didn’t exist. Now it is wider than the planet Jupiter and unleashing the strongest solar flares since December 13th, 2006, including an X-class solar flare that we covered here first on WUWT. Video below.
Solar Magnetics Movie
The HMI (Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager) on the SDO (Solar Dynamics Observatory) caught massive sunspot group 1158 in the process of forming from nothing. It is quite an impressive animation. Animation courtesy of Dr. Phil Scherrer at Stanford via Dr. Leif Svalgaard who writes:
“What to note is how the magnetic field ‘bubbled’ up in a very mixed state [black=negative, white=positive polarity]. Then the two polarities separate and move to areas of like polarity: white to white and black to black, in the process assembling sunspots. Watch also how the incessant convection ‘eats’ away at the boundaries of large, mature spots [late in the clip].”
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Hypnotic and beautiful.
It is a mystery to me that we can observe these spectacular solar flares and never draw a conclusion.
While we are tying ourselves into knots to deal with AGW, a putative eventuality at best, there is no effort at all to harden our electronics to survive a substantial solar flare.
The 1859 Carrington event may have been the largest in over 2000 years, according to the Greenland ice core data, but there was a comparable biggie late in SC 23 that fortunately was aimed away from earth.
Given the complete dependence of our society on electronics, this lack of action borders on the irresponsible.
Is it possible to put a scale at the bottom of the video, possibly a date too. I know, more work and all. Thanks for the vid though and your efforts involved.
Let repeat the desire for scale. Just how big are those things?
Great video, though. Absolutely cool.
Appropriately enough, the new sunspots in this view look like melanomas!
Is this real time or sped up?
And can I ask another dumb question is this matter or energy?
Thanks, Anthony and Leif.
It is amusing to me that no sooner had the prognosticators at NASA made their latest sunspot forecast adjustment downward, the sun throws them one “out of bounds”. Yes I know they are not forecasting daily events, but still it must have them muttering to themselves. They sure have had a time with cycle 24.
“Great video, though. Absolutely cool.”
Literally!
The magnetic movie and Leif’s point:
“incessant convection ‘eats’ away at the boundaries of large, mature spots”
Reminds me of watching alka-seltzer tablets in water when they float on the surface.
All Right 1158! You kicked the Sunspot number up to 100 for the first time in Solar Cycle 24! Way to ‘Git – r – done!’
Rock on little spot!
Really great info thanks a lot Leif and Anthony
Spectacular is too small a word to describe such a sight. I am in awe. It must be such an exciting time to be a solar scientist like Dr Leif. So much to see and so many toys to watch it with! Truly amazing. It will take me days to get this out of my head. Awesome…
Thanks very much for posting this Anthony et al!
ebruary 16, 2011 at 2:30 pm
The magnetic movie and Leif’s point:
“incessant convection ‘eats’ away at the boundaries of large, mature spots”
Reminds me of watching alka-seltzer tablets in water when they float on the surface.
Also gives the impression of enormous depth as “holes” seem to form. It is simply, mind-bogglingly, amazingly, awesomelyfantasticasious! wow…
Very interesting, but can someone (Leif?) explain the ‘like’ polarities being attracted to each other please? I thought ‘like’ repelled and ‘unlike’ attracted in magnetism.
Something goofed there. I meant to quote Anthony’ earlier post. Likely just me. I hope a full length movie is being made up somewhere. It would make for one heck of a screensaver. I’d love to get a close up of the edges. A side view would give this some great context.
Again, thanks very much.
Very hot vid’s! Thanks Leif and Anthony.
A general question: it appears that there are three seperate “upwellings”, is this an accurate description of how these spots form? And if so are the upwellings gaseous, plasma or magnetic in origin?
Thanks
This animation and others available will give a scale perspective.
The current sunspot is said to be wider than Jupitor. See this one:
Is the area of white equals the area of black? Is there a balance in the polarities or are they off balance… causing explosions?
As Mr. Spock would say, “fascinating”.
Very nice. Thanks, Anthony and Lief.
What I find intriguing about sunspots is that the centre appears BLACK – that is, not emitting any light. That must mean that the sunspot goes down to a layer that is opaque, or cold(er).
Leif?
Baa Humbug says:
February 16, 2011 at 2:54 pm
Very interesting, but can someone (Leif?) explain the ‘like’ polarities being attracted to each other please? I thought ‘like’ repelled and ‘unlike’ attracted in magnetism.
This is one of the mysteries of sunspots. Now, the magnetic field is actually dragged along by the plasma, so the ordinary magnetic rules don’t really apply. A partial [but perhaps too technical] explanation my be Ken Schatten’s: http://www.leif.org/research/Percolation%20and%20the%20Solar%20Dynamo.pdf
Amazing really, especially as we will be controling these great magnetic ruptures, once we have gained full control of earths environment. Something to look forward to in the near future. Maybe Al, Phil, or Mikey could start the ball rolling in time for the next big conference.
Absolutely mindblowing footage.
Many thanks to all those involved.
Thanks Leif,
great Video of our busted Sun (maybe healed). Lets go
Solar cycle 24…… Just in time for ARRL DX CW!!!!
VY 73, pRadio