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Ian_Brooks
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Would this be valid for all other planets as well?
xxChrisxx said:Angular velocity depends on radius (distance from axis of rotation) so i'll say yes.
I posted this here thinking it was something fundamental that I should have known - thus saving myself from embarrassment at the hands of the astrophysics subsection.wikipedia/sun said:All matter in the Sun is in the form of gas and plasma because of its high temperatures.
This makes it possible for the Sun to rotate faster at its equator (about 25 days) than it does at higher latitudes (about 35 days near its poles).
So do all bodies of plasma display this phenomena?The differential rotation of the Sun's latitudes causes its magnetic field lines to become twisted together over time, causing magnetic field loops to erupt from the Sun's surface and trigger the formation of the Sun's dramatic sunspots and solar prominences (see magnetic reconnection).
This is essentially why I posted this question - the non uniform magnetic fields of the sun cause sun spots
- higher temp,
- mag field suppresses plasma
- solar flare/solar corona yada yada
yet they come and go - why?
This twisting action gives rise to the solar dynamo and an 11-year solar cycle of magnetic activity as the Sun's magnetic field reverses itself about every 11 years.
The influence of the Sun's rotating magnetic field on the plasma in the interplanetary medium creates the heliospheric current sheet, which separates regions with magnetic fields pointing in different directions. The plasma in the interplanetary medium is also responsible for the strength of the Sun's magnetic field at the orbit of the Earth. If space were a vacuum, then the Sun's 10-4 tesla magnetic dipole field would reduce with the cube of the distance to about 10-11 tesla. But satellite observations show that it is about 100 times greater at around 10-9 tesla. The dipole field of the sun is roughly the same as the Earth's magnetic field, but it extends over a vastly greater volume of space. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theory predicts that the motion of a conducting fluid (such as the interplanetary medium) in a magnetic field induces electric currents, which in turn generate magnetic fields, and in this respect it behaves like an MHD dynamo.
Well all I've got to say is... oops. I did acutally mean tangential velocity, I'm going to blame the fact that it was late and/or I am in idiot on the error.Borek said:Completely off. Linear velocity depends on the distance from axis, angular velocity should be constant.
And in the case of Sun there is an anomaly - angular speed at the equator is higher than the speed at other lattitudes. No idea why, but it is an observable fact. Equator rotates in 25 days, rotation at 75 deg lattitude takes 36 days.
xxChrisxx said:oops
The sun travels faster at its equator due to its rotation. The Earth's equatorial circumference is larger than its polar circumference, causing the sun to travel a greater distance in the same amount of time. This is known as the Coriolis Effect.
The Coriolis Effect is caused by the Earth's rotation and its shape. This effect causes objects to appear to curve when moving across the Earth's surface. In the case of the sun, it causes it to travel faster at its equator due to the larger distance it has to cover in the same amount of time.
Yes, the sun's speed varies at different latitudes due to the Coriolis Effect. The sun travels fastest at the equator and slower at the poles. This is because the Earth's circumference decreases as you move away from the equator towards the poles.
The sun's speed does not directly affect the Earth's climate. However, the Coriolis Effect caused by the sun's speed does have an impact on global wind patterns and ocean currents, which in turn can affect the Earth's climate.
No, the sun's speed is not constant. While it may seem that the sun travels at a constant speed due to its regular sunrise and sunset, its speed actually varies throughout the year. This is due to the Earth's axial tilt, which causes the sun's path to change in relation to the Earth's surface.