Term
| How long does it take for sunlight to reach earth? |
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Definition
| 8 minutes and 20 seconds. |
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Term
| What is the basic energy source for the sun? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which layer of the sun contains one-half of its mass? |
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Definition
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Term
| Where is nearly all the sun’s emitted energy generated? |
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Definition
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Term
| In which layer of the sun do large temperature gradients form? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the surface layer of the sun called? |
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Definition
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Term
| Give the name of the innermost layer of the sun’s atmosphere: |
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Definition
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Term
| In which layer of the atmosphere does most solar activity occur including solar flares? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which layer of the sun is not normally visible except during a total solar eclipse? |
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Definition
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Term
| Name the layer of the sun that immerses earth: |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the source of the sun’s energy? |
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Definition
| The thermonuclear reaction which produces helium from hydrogen fuel. |
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Term
| What physical reaction represents a nearly constant release of energy from the sun into space? |
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Definition
| Transformation of hydrogen into helium. |
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Term
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Definition
| Regions of high magnetic field strengths that are denser, hotter, and thus brighter, than the surrounding areas. |
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Term
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Definition
Transient, concentrated, localized regions of plasma located in areas of intense magnetic fields in the
photosphere. They appear as dask areas against the photosphere. |
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Term
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Definition
| Intense, temporary releases of energy. |
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Term
| Near what solar features do solar flares usually occur? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are solar prominences? |
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Definition
| A large, bright feature extending outward from the Sun’s surface, often in a loop shape. |
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Term
| What are coronal mass ejections? |
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Definition
Violent release of bubbles or tongues of gas and magnetic fields which rise and expand above the sunspot
regions. |
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Term
| What is the average duration of a solar cycle? |
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Definition
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Term
| What numerical method is used the most to measure sunspots? |
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Definition
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Term
| How is the magnetic field of the sun affected from one solar cycle to the next? |
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Definition
| It reverses polarity from one solar cycle to the next. |
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Term
| State the purpose a coronograph serves. |
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Definition
It blocks out the solar disk during visual observations of the corona, so that only emissions in the corona
may be examined. |
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Term
| White light observations provide information on features in what part of the sun? |
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Definition
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Term
| What type of solar observation uses a projection method rather than a direct method? |
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Definition
| White-light observations. |
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Term
| What is the darker interior of a sunspot called? |
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Definition
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Term
What type of solar observation uses a process where light is filtered through a series of segments
of polaroid, quartz, and calcite? |
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Definition
| Monochromatic light observation of the chromosphere. |
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Term
| What are plages and what do they indicate? |
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Definition
| Clouds of ionized gas indicating relatively dense regions in the chromospheres; their brightness represents increased atomic reaction results in areas of enhanced chromospheric intensity. |
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Term
| What information do monochromatic light observations provide? |
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Definition
| They appear as bright regions on the solar disk due to increased atomic reaction that results in areas of greater chromospheric intensity. |
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Term
| What are filaments viewed at the limb of the solar disk called? |
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Definition
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Term
| What does the strong, blue-wing emission of a filament indicate? |
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Definition
| A motion outward toward the observer. |
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Term
| What type of radio frequencies are associated with radiation that emanates from the coronal region of the sun? |
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Definition
| Low frequencies from 25 to 180 MHz. |
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Term
| What type of data collected by the SRS offers information on the energy density and special characteristics of a solar event in the radio portion of the spectrum? |
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Definition
| Radio burst data at discrete and sweep frequencies. |
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