A new scientific study has brought researchers closer to solving one of solar physics’ biggest mysteries — why the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, is millions of degrees hotter than its visible surface.
For decades, scientists have struggled to explain how the corona reaches temperatures exceeding one million degrees Celsius, while the Sun’s surface remains comparatively cooler at around 5,500 degrees Celsius. The phenomenon, often described as the “coronal heating problem”, has puzzled astronomers worldwide.
The latest research provides fresh insights into the processes that transfer and release enormous amounts of energy in the Sun’s atmosphere. According to the study, complex interactions involving magnetic fields and plasma waves may play a crucial role in heating the corona to such extreme temperatures.
Researchers used advanced simulations and observational data to trace how energy generated inside the Sun travels outward and dissipates in the corona. The findings suggest that tiny but frequent bursts of magnetic energy, along with wave-driven turbulence, could collectively account for the unusually high temperatures observed in the solar atmosphere.
Scientists believe the breakthrough could significantly improve understanding of solar activity, including solar flares and space weather events that affect satellites, communication systems, navigation networks, and power grids on Earth.
The study is expected to aid future observations by solar missions and strengthen efforts to predict solar storms more accurately. Researchers noted that solving the coronal heating mystery is essential not only for understanding the Sun but also for gaining deeper insights into stellar processes across the universe.