Chapter 9:Space Weather

9.1:The Sun’s Activities that affect the Earth

Sun Structure
Before we talk about
Sun structure,we will
talk about what is
the Sun?
 The Sun
• It is a massive ball of gases which contain
hydrogen(70.6%),helium(27.4%) and other elements(2%).
• It is the only star in the Solar System and the closest one to Earth.
• It is classified as the G-class dwarf star.
• The matter in the Sun’s center is denser compared to Earth’s rock or
steel.
• Although the density is high, the matter still exists in a gas state due
to the extremely high temperature that increases the movement of
the atoms, and ionises it to form plasmatic matter.
 Characteristics of the Sun
• Rotation on its axis: 25.04 Earth days
• Mass : 330 x Earth’s mass
• Density : 1.41 g cm-3
• Gravity force : 27.9 x Earth’s gravity
• Diameter : 109 x diameter of Earth
• Distance from Earth : 149 680 000km
• Temperature of the surface : 6000 oC
• Temperature of the core : 15 millionoC
• Time taken for its light to reach Earth : 8 minutes
• Amount of energy that reaches Earth in one second :1.37kW per meter square.
 Structure of Sun
core

Radiation zone

Inner layers

Convection zone
Layers of the Sun

Photosphere
Atmospheric layers

Chromosphere

Corona
 Core
• Centre of the Sun.
• Extremely hot with a temperature of 15 million ⁰ C.
• Generates energy through nuclear fusions, releasing heat and light energy and other
rays.
• Energy is released in the form of photons (light particles).
• The extreme high temperature ionizes the atoms and form plasma.
• Almost 99% of heat energy is produced through combination of two hydrogen-2 nuclei
which produces one helium-3 nucleus and one neutron.
 Radiation Zone
• Collects energy from the core.
• The energy released from the core takes approximately a million year to reach
the radiation zone.
• Lower temperature compared to the core since the energy here is spread
randomly from one atom to another in all direction.
• In the radiation zone, heat is transferred through radiation from atom to atom.
• Transfer of heat through radiation takes a long time up to 100 000 years from
the core to the convection zone.
 Convection Zone
• Transports the energy to the lower surface of the Sun.
• Energy is transferred faster compared to the time taken in the radiation zone.
• The temperature drops quickly to 2 million ⁰ C from 5 million ⁰ C in the radiation
zone.
• In the convection zone, hot gases expand and rise to the photosphere through the
process of convection.
• Transfer of heat through convection occurs more rapidly than transfer of heat
through radiation
 Photosphere
• The surface of the Sun that is visible from the Earth.
• Consists of layers of high-density gases
• The coldest layer reaches 6000 ⁰ C.
• Creates the light we see.
• The thickness is approximately 400km.
• Seems turbulent because the gas from the convection zone is freed here.
 Chromosphere
• Thin layer of gases above the photosphere.
• Very low-density gases.
• Approximately 9600km thick
• The temperature is approximately 15000 ⁰C
• Only visible during the full solar eclipse
 Corona
• Thin layer of gases
• The outermost layer of Sun
• Extends as far as millions of kilometres around the Sun
• Extremely low gas density
• The temperature is approximately 2 million ⁰C.
• Only visible during the full solar esclipse
Atmospheric layers of Corona - outer layer Chromosphere - middle Photosphere - inner layer
the Sun layer
Structure

Appearance • Dark • Not as bright as •Bright

• Can only be seen photosphere •Can usually be seen
during total eclipse of the • Can only be seen from the Earth
Sun during eclipse of the sun

Colour Bluish white and shiny Pink or red Yellow

Temperature As high as 2000000 °C About 15000 °C About 6000 °C

Special features Hot gas squirting out in Temperature rises closer Spotted surface due to
all directions in outer to the corona or further convection of boiling hot
space to form solar wind from the photosphere gases
Prepared by:
Tan Chee Keat
Sacchin Gautham
Ooi Jin Hong
Lim Yi Zane
Lim Yin Zien