(ORDO NEWS) — Researchers at New York University’s Abu Dhabi Center for Space Science have discovered a new family of waves on the Sun whose observed speeds, to the surprise of scientists, far exceed the values allowed by theory.
In their study, the team, led by Chris S. Hanson, presents the results of a detailed analysis of data collected over a 25-year period from space and ground-based observatories.
These high-frequency retrograde waves, which propagate in the opposite direction of the Sun’s rotation, appear as a group of vortices on the sun’s surface and move three times faster than current models predict.
The inner regions of the Sun and stars are not amenable to observation using conventional astronomical instruments (such as optical, X-ray and other observatories), and therefore scientists are forced to judge the state of the interior of the star, including the nature of the waves propagating over its surface.
These new high-frequency retrograde waves could make a big difference in understanding the internal structure of stars.
Complex interactions between other well-known waves and magnetic fields, gravity or convective currents could theoretically cause high-frequency retrograde waves to acquire their abnormally high speeds.
“If high-frequency retrograde waves can be associated with any of these processes, then our findings will help answer a number of open questions about the structure of our Sun,” said Hanson.
“However, we do not think that these new waves are a direct result of these processes, and this is wonderful, because it raises a whole new set of questions for us!”
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