Solar Wind

describe the structure and nature of the solar wind.

The outer layers of the Sun bubble like a hot stew in a saucepan due to the massive convection currents underneath. Occasionally matter is spat out in violent bursts.

This matter from the Sun erupts to the surface regularly twisting and turning in the complex magnetic fields above sunspots. The first photo above shows a solar prominence, a cloud of solar gas held above the surface.

Sometimes great explosions occur ejecting huge amounts of matter and radiation into space. These are called solar flares (second picture) and can raise the temperature of the corona up to 11 million degrees.

Solar Wind

The Sun emits radiation out into space which we call the solar wind. It consists mainly of protons and electrons which are charged. Because they are charged the are (thankfully) deflected by the Earth's magnetic field. (Just as the electrons in a television tube are deflected by electromagnets). Were they not then life on Earth would struggle to survive.

Occasionally there are violent eruptions in the corona and the amount of solar wind reaching Earth increases sharply. This can have a number of effects including on communications.