Musical Magnetic Waves Emitted from Space

There is music in the heavens. According to scientists, the magnetic fields in the outer areas around the sun carry magnetic waves that sound much like a musical instrument. Astronomers have discovered this is due to magnetic sound waves that form around the suns corona, which is the outer region around the sun.

The Royal Astronomical Society National Astronomy is holding a meeting Thursday, April 19 during which the origin of the magnetic waves will be discussed.

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) is located in the United Kingdom and is the leading professional body for astronomy & astrophysics, geophysics, solar and solar-terrestrial physics, and planetary sciences. The RAS is responsible for organizing meetings, and publishing research and review journals. They also award grants and prizes to the scientific community, and maintain an extensive library. The RAS also support educational activities and lobbies government.

Dr Youra Taroyan and Professor Robert von Fay-Siebenburgen of the Solar Physics and Space Plasma Research Centre (SP2RC), University of Sheffield, England will be explaining the origin of the magnetic sound waves. They will be doing a demonstration with a series of animations and sound files that will show the events as they rapidly appear and disappear.

Scientists in recent years have worked to better understand the predictability and behavior of the sun. This was done through missions that have watched as material is ejected towards the earth, which the solar magnetic field controls. The magnetic field around the sun is set in a loop system located near the sun's corona. These loops are extremely long and run for millions of miles. They act as guide waves, and oscillate in musical waves similar to a pipe organ. The acoustic waves are extremely powerful and are capable of reaching amplitudes of ten kilometers per second. Micro-flares which are enormous explosions cause the waves which are generated at the base of these magnetic pipes their release of this energy is equal to millions of hydrogen bombs. After the release of each micro-flare, sound booms are created. Each sound boom releases rapidly excited energy and quickly decaying in less than an hour. The very hot solar corona quickly dissipates the sound booms quickly.

Sources:
Contributed by Robert Massey " Giant Pipe Organ In The Solar Atmosphere" Science Daily
URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070419115551.htm

Staff Writer "The Aims Of The Royal Astronomical Society" Royal Astronomical Society
URL: http://www.ras.org.uk/