A strong solar explosion led to the opening up of a massive valley over the solar surface. This valley is roughly 10,000 kilometers wide and stretches roughly 10 times in length.
Canyon of Fire Valley Formed on Solar Surface
The huge plasma plume eruption took place on Halloween. It briefly led to the carving of the "canyon of fire" valley over the solar surface. The "canyon of fire" valley is estimated to be twice as wide compared to contiguous US and roughly seven times the Earth's length.
In late October 31, a magnetized plasma loop, called solar prominence, grew in the southern hemisphere of the Sun and turned unstable. This was before it broke off and hit space like an elastic band that snapped.
When the prominence went away, a massive canyon-lake valley was left behind on the superhot plasma that makes up the surface of the Sun.
The ravine was roughly 224 times longer and 620 times wider compared to the Grand Canyon. It is roughly 25 times longer and 50 times wider compared to Mars' Valles Marineris, which is the solar system's largest-known canyon.
While this event is quite interesting, it is not the first time that a "canyon of fire" was observed on the solar surface in the past years. In April last year, a 200,000-kilometer canyon opened over the solar surface. Later that September, a whopping 385,000-kilometer canyon surfaced following a solar eruption. Both of these canyons had depths of roughly 20,000 kilometers, which is roughly 1,800 times deeper compared to the Earth's Mariana Trench.
The plumes that are expelled from the Sun and that lead to the birth of these canyons can barrel right into the Earth. This could lead to strong auroras and geomagnetic storms. While scientists were initially concerned about how the eruption's prominence may hit the Earth, further observations showed that it will completely miss the planet.
Solar Maximum Is Near
The huge canyon serves as the latest reminder that the solar maximum is nearing. This solar maximum refers to the explosive peak of the 11-year cycle of the Sun.
It is now estimated that solar maximum will start in 2024, which is one year earlier compared to initial forecasts.
As this solar maximum nears, the magnetic field lines of the Sun start to get tangled. These lines typically constrain plasma into the surface of the Sun. However, when they get intertwined, they end up getting less effective at keeping plasma at one place. This allows huge prominences and valleys to form over the solar surface.
Surface magnetism that is weaker has also resulted in various plasma structures this year. This includes a huge polar vortex that swirled in the north pole of the Sun, a plasma waterfall that showered fiery rain over the Sun, and a solar tornado that was taller than 14 Earths.
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