Why are there Magnetic Fields on the Sun?

[wofsy]

Pardon this completely naive question.

I am wondering why there are net magnetic fields on the Sun. Isn't there an equal number of protons - hydrogen nuclei - to electrons? Is there a separation of protons and electrons in different parts of the Sun so that there can be net currents? or are magnetic fields fleeting and essentially random?

 

[Frame Dragger]

Pardon this completely naive question.

I am wondering why there are net magnetic fields on the Sun. Isn't there an equal number of protons - hydrogen nuclei - to electrons? Is there a separation of protons and electrons in different parts of the Sun so that there can be net currents? or are magnetic fields fleeting and essentially random?

The sun is, among other things, a giant EM Dynamo, just like the Earth's core in reation to mantle. The sun is of course, bigger, and better suited to such an application so HELLO Magnetic field! ;)

 

[wofsy]

The sun is, among other things, a giant EM Dynamo, just like the Earth's core in reation to mantle. The sun is of course, bigger, and better suited to such an application so HELLO Magnetic field! ;)

After I read your reply I did a little reading on the web and got confused again.
The articles say that shear forces between two of the sun's layers create the dynamo that you wrote about. How do shear forces create a dynamo?

Also, in the Earth's core or in a conductor the currents come from free electrons in a conducting material. But on the Sun aren't there also free protons and wouldn't the proton generated magnetic fields tend to cancel the electron magnetic fields?

 

[Frame Dragger]

After I read your reply I did a little reading on the web and got confused again.
The articles say that shear forces between two of the sun's layers create the dynamo that you wrote about. How do shear forces create a dynamo?

Also, in the Earth's core or in a conductor the currents come from free electrons in a conducting material. But on the Sun aren't there also free protons and wouldn't the proton generated magnetic fields tend to cancel the electron magnetic fields?

You're absolutely right to be thinking about the total charge of a body being (mostly) canceled by other particles of opposite charges. It's that thinking that leads to the concept of a stellar dynamo in some ways. There simply is no way for a star to have the powerful magnetic field it clearly does caused by a glut of ions in the stellar body.

Layers of gas, plasma, solids in the core, and fusing elements act like the liquid metallic layers of a moderm EM dynamo. How does that work? Well, the same for the sun as it does in a lab (in theory). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamo_theory

Edit: Here is the underlying theory as applied to fluid (especially stellar fluid) dynamics. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetohydrodynamics Wiki does a shockingly good job on the first subject, and I'm no master of the second.

 

[sardar]

I can assure you that your question is not naive at all. In fact, the study of magnetic fields on the Sun is a complex and ongoing area of research in solar physics.

To answer your question, yes, there is an equal number of protons and electrons on the Sun. However, the key factor that leads to the presence of magnetic fields is the movement of charged particles. The Sun is a highly dynamic and turbulent environment, with intense convection currents and plasma flows. These movements of charged particles can create and sustain magnetic fields.

Additionally, the Sun has a different composition than just hydrogen and electrons. It also contains heavier elements such as helium, which can have a significant impact on the generation and behavior of magnetic fields.

Furthermore, the Sun's rotation also plays a crucial role in the creation of magnetic fields. As the Sun rotates, it causes the charged particles to twist and distort the magnetic field lines, creating complex and dynamic structures.

So, to answer your question, magnetic fields on the Sun are not fleeting or random. They are continuously generated and influenced by various factors, such as the movement of charged particles, the Sun's composition, and its rotation. Scientists are still trying to fully understand the mechanisms behind the Sun's magnetic fields, and ongoing research in this field is crucial for our understanding of the Sun and its effects on our planet.