SOLAR CYCLE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Astronomers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have found a new method to predict the amplitude of the upcoming solar cycle.

Solar Cycle

• About: It is the cycle that the Sun’s magnetic field goes through approximately every 11 years.
• Magnetic Field: The Sun's magnetic field goes through a cycle, called the solar cycle.

oEvery 11 years or so, the Sun's magnetic field completely flips.

oIt takes about another 11 years for the Sun’s north and south poles to flip back again.

• Effects on Sun's Surface:

oThe solar cycle affects activity on the surface of the Sun, such as sunspots caused by the Sun's magnetic fields.

oThe middle of the solar cycle is the solar maximum, characterized by the most sunspots.

oAs the cycle ends, it fades back to the solar minimum, signaling the start of a new cycle.

Space Weather

• About: Activity on the Sun’s surface creates a type of weather called space weather. 
• Main Components of Space Weather:

oSolar Wind: A continuous flow of charged particles released from the upper atmosphere of the sun.

oCoronal Mass Ejections (CMEs): Large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the sun's corona.

oSolar Flares: Sudden, intense bursts of radiation from the sun's surface.

Effects of Space Weather:

• Space weather can compress Earth's magnetosphere, the protective shield against solar wind.
• Space weather can trigger geomagnetic storms that disrupt communication and power systems.
• It can damage spacecraft electronics and pose risks to astronauts' safety.