If you remember, there was a lot of talk of really impressive Aurora Borealis a couple times earlier this year. That is because we are at a peak in the solar cycle. This video explains visually the current theories of what is happening to the suns magnetic field. Note: if you are anything like me, you will feel a little lost with all his references to the toroidal and poloidal magnetic fields of the sun. Toroidal refers to this first picture - see how the field likes look like a stack of doughnuts? the technical mathematical term for a doughnut shape is a torus. Poloidal refers to the field that goes through the poles. Hope that helps.
If you remember, there was a lot of talk of really impressive Aurora Borealis a couple times earlier this year. That is because we are at a peak in the solar cycle. This video explains visually the current theories of what is happening to the suns magnetic field. Note: if you are anything like me, you will feel a little lost with all his references to the toroidal and poloidal magnetic fields of the sun. Toroidal refers to this first picture - see how the field likes look like a stack of doughnuts? the technical mathematical term for a doughnut shape is a torus. Poloidal refers to the field that goes through the poles. Hope that helps.