Sun's Corona Paradox: Temperature Defying Laws of Thermodynamics

[Je m'appelle]

Why is the sun's corona temperature around millions of degrees celsius while the sun's surface is about 6000 degrees celsius?

Doesn't that defies the laws of thermodynamics?

 

[Vals509]

Please elaborate on how it defies the laws of thermodynamics. I'm a bit of a newcomer on this topic.

 

[gtring]

This could be due to the moving magnetic fields of the Sun. I've always thought of it as a lot of magnetic 'whips' inside the Sun, bursting out into the corona, and when so many whips come together at that altitude, the temperature rises. Or, when new loops form and collapse, this will raise the temperature as well.

Energy is simply changing forms, which obeys the laws of thermodynamics.

Cheers,
--Jake

 

[DaleSwanson]

Wikipedia seems to have a pretty good description.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corona#Coronal_heating_problem