What is the capacitance of the sun?

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SUMMARY

The capacitance of the sun is a complex topic that remains largely unexplored in scientific literature. Current understanding suggests that the sun has a net charge of approximately zero, indicating it is electrically neutral. However, discussions highlight the differential nature of capacitance, questioning how it might be measured relative to other celestial bodies, such as Earth or Pluto. The potential implications of a net charge on the sun, particularly regarding the heating of the solar corona, are also considered, suggesting that an electric field generated by any net charge could explain the high temperatures observed in the corona.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic electrical concepts, including capacitance and charge.
  • Familiarity with plasma physics and solar phenomena.
  • Knowledge of celestial mechanics and the solar system's structure.
  • Basic principles of electromagnetism and electric fields.
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  • Research the concept of capacitance in astrophysics, particularly in relation to large celestial bodies.
  • Explore the mechanisms behind solar corona heating and the role of electric fields in plasma dynamics.
  • Investigate the properties of solar wind and its interaction with the sun's magnetic field.
  • Study the principles of charge neutrality in astrophysical contexts and its implications for celestial bodies.
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Astronomers, astrophysicists, and students of plasma physics who are interested in solar phenomena, charge dynamics in celestial bodies, and the implications of electric fields in astrophysical contexts.

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What is the capacitance of the sun? semms like a straigtforward question but I can't seem to find any information on what it is. I'm don't know if it has been measured, or if its even possible to measure, but I would have thought a body that big and active as the sun would have an ability to store a certain amount of charge. is it a net positive or negative charge?
 
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As far as we know, the net charge on the sun is about 0, i.e. it's neutral. When protons (or other positively charged nuclei) get blown away (in the solar wind or CMEs), electrons go with them.
 
-RA- said:
What is the capacitance of the sun? semms like a straigtforward question but I can't seem to find any information on what it is. I'm don't know if it has been measured, or if its even possible to measure, but I would have thought a body that big and active as the sun would have an ability to store a certain amount of charge. is it a net positive or negative charge?

Capacitance is a differential concept. The capacitance of the sun with respect to what? Pluto? Earth? All of the planets? The nearest star?
 
berkeman said:
Capacitance is a differential concept. The capacitance of the sun with respect to what? Pluto? Earth? All of the planets? The nearest star?

i was wondering what the capacitance would be compared to the plasma in the solar wind at (for example) the asteroid belt. We know the solar wind is quasi-neutral but made of none-the-less of charged ions, so i am curious that if the sun does have a net charge and high voltage how this would effect charged ions in the solar wind. I know that curently we think it is neutral, but you can claim anything is neutral if you choose your own parameters, as berkeman correctly stated capacitance is a differential concept.

Is there anyway that we can test the neutrality of the sun? or is it just asumed to be that way?

there is a huge charge difference in Earths upper atmosphere that causes lightning to arc between the different potentials, but you can still claim the Earth as a whole is completely neutral, even though a lot of charge separation is taking place on a localized scale.
 
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On a slightly unrelated note, I was just thinking could a net charge on the sun be the explanation for the unexpected heating of the corona? Currently there is no reason why the corona and chromosphere should be millions of degrees K hotter than the surface of the sun. But if there is an electric field just outside the sun, generated by the net charge of the sun, that would explain why the particles are getting accelerated and gain so much heat. ions would have their maximum potential energy when they are in this photospheric plasma; however their mechanical energy would be relatively low.

At a certain point when a +ve ion randomly moves out of the photosphere and into the electric field (voltage gradient) it will result in it being accelerated outwards. The particles are basically transferring the high electrical potential energy they had in the sun into kinetic energy by gaining an extremely high outwards radial velocity, and would explain why particles in the corona are so energetic. This way the inverse square law for radiant energy is not being broken as the current model does.

That is the only explanation I can see to explain the coronal heating problem, unless there are others I am not aware of.
 
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