Ch. 15 Flashcards
Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin
-Thesis said that the simplest light gases (hydrogen and helium) are the most abundant elements in stars.
Types of Energy Transport
Convection, Conduction, Radiation
Sunspots
- 2000 degrees cooler than rest of the Sun (3800 K)
- On photosphere
- Rotate across sun’s surface
Granulation Pattern
Surface markings of convection cells create this pattern
Sun’s Atmosphere (In→Out)
Photosphere (coolest), Chromosphere, Corona
Transition Region
Part of sun where rapid temperature increase occurs
Coronal Hole
Dark area regions of corona where magnetic field lines stretch far away from Sun; predominant source of solar wind (aurora lights)
Plages
Regions within chromosphere that have higher temp + density that their surroundings // spectral lines of hydrogen + calcium most easily observed
Prominences
- Originate near sunspots
- Quiescent: graceful loops
- Eruptive: send matter upward into the corona
- Surge: even faster
Solar Flare
Rapid eruption that usually lasts 5-10 minutes, sometimes even hours
Ionization on Sun
Sun is so hot that many of its atoms are stripped of one or more electrons
Sun’s Core
Approximately 20% size of solar interior; hottest part
Radiative Zone
Primary mode of transporting energy across it; spans from core to 70% to surface
Convective Zone
Transports energy from the edge of the radiative zone to the surface; makes up outer 30%
Red Emission Line
Hydrogen
Yellow Emission Line
Helium
Solar Wind
Exists because of rapid hot gas in the corona not held by solar gravity; mainly protons and electrons (400km/sec)
Solar Wind
Exists because of rapid hot gas in the corona not held by solar gravity; mainly protons and electrons (400km/sec)
Sunspot Maximum
Occurs around every 11 years; more than 100 spots can be seen at once
Zeeman Effect
As an electron changes level, the result is a sharp, narrow spectral line (absorption or emission line)
Sunspot Cycle
Polarity of leading spots is reversed in each hemisphere
Sunspot Cycle
Polarity of leading spots is reversed in each hemisphere
Maunder Minimum
17th century where sunspot #s were significantly low // caused “little ice age”
