I Granules On The Sun: Photosphere Or Convection Zone?

AI Thread Summary
The granules observed on the Sun are indeed part of the photosphere, which is about 100 kilometers thick and consists of convection cells. Each granule, roughly 1000 kilometers in diameter, features hot plasma rising in the center and cooler plasma descending in the surrounding areas, with movement speeds reaching 7 kilometers per second. These granules have a short lifespan of around twenty minutes, creating a dynamic and constantly changing appearance. The discussion explores whether the photosphere is defined as the top edge of the convection zone or if it encompasses the granules themselves. Understanding this relationship is crucial for comprehending solar dynamics and structure.
smithpa9
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Are the granules that we see on the Sun actually in the photosphere? Or are they actually just the top of the convection zone, with the photosphere beginning just above them? Or is the photosphere simply defined as the top edge of the convection zone where the granules are present, having resulted from all of that convection below?
 
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Per wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosphere

The Sun's photosphere is around 100 kilometers thick, and is composed of convection cells called granules—cells of plasma each approximately 1000 kilometers in diameter with hot rising plasma in the center and cooler plasma falling in the narrow spaces between them, flowing at velocities of 7 kilometer per second. Each granule has a lifespan of only about twenty minutes, resulting in a continually shifting "boiling" pattern.
 
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Likes diogenesNY, davenn, berkeman and 4 others
Thanks! That makes perfect sense.
 
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