A new type of high-frequency acoustic wave discovered propagating on the Sun seems to be defying expectations.
The waves appear on the surface of the Sun as a pattern of swirling vortices, moving against the Sun's rotation. The problem is that these high-frequency retrograde vorticity waves seem to be moving three times faster than predicted by theory – and solar physicists have been unable to determine why.The discovery, they say, suggests that there is new solar physics to be uncovered, as well as giving fresh insight into the Sun's internal properties and activity.
In particular, acoustic waves can tell us a lot. They are generated close to the surface, and are then reflected, either partially or entirely, towards the interior, where they resonate, creating acoustic oscillations. Solar scientists study these oscillations to learn about the interior of the Sun. In the data, the researchers found a very consistent signal, which their analysis reveals as the presence of previously unseen waves. These formed a pattern of vortices on the surface of the Sun, with an antisymmetry between north and south poles, moving against the solar rotation.The fact that these waves are moving three times faster than expected, however, poses a conundrum. The team explored a number of possibilities for what was happening.
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