Astronomers have captured the first footage of a solar "tsunami" hurtling through the Sun's atmosphere at over a million kilometres per hour.

The event was captured by Nasa's twin Stereo spacecraft designed to make 3D images of our parent star.

Naturally, this type of tsunami does not involve water; instead, it is a wave of pressure that travels across the Sun very fast.

Details were reported at the UK National Astronomy Meeting in Belfast.


In half an hour, we saw the tsunami cover almost the full disc of the Sun
David Long

In a solar tsunami, a huge explosion near the Sun, such as a coronal mass ejection or flare, causes a pressure pulse to propagate outwards in a circular pattern.

Last year's solar tsunami, which took place on 19 May 2007, lasted for about 35 minutes, reaching peak speeds about 20 minutes after the initial blast.

Co-author David Long, from Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Ireland, commented: "The energy released in these explosions is phenomenal; about two billion times the annual world energy consumption in just a fraction of a second.

-clip-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7326097.stm

I certainly wouldn't want to get caught in that tsunami .. :scared:


But on the Sun, we have hot gas," he explained.

Hot gas! Höhöhöhö. </B&B>

But on the Sun, we have hot gas," he explained.
I wonder whether its strictly 'gas'? Too hot, surely? Wouldn't it be plasma or something instead?

Seems to be both

All matter in the Sun is in the form of gas and plasma because of its high temperatures. This makes it possible for the Sun to rotate faster at its equator (about 25 days) than it does at higher latitudes (about 35 days near its poles).

I wonder whether its strictly 'gas'? Too hot, surely? Wouldn't it be plasma or something instead?

There is probably a kind of gas in there which can resist and actually works with such kinds of heat..

There is probably a kind of gas in there which can resist and actually works with such kinds of heat..
Plasma is formed when the temperature is hot enough for the bond energies to break.

However, on reflection, Helium is probably classed a 'gas' at all temperatures, because it doens't have any bonds to break.

Plasma is formed when the temperature is hot enough for the bond energies to break.

However, on reflection, Helium is probably classed a 'gas' at all temperatures, because it doens't have any bonds to break.

I thought that plasma occurred when the electrons were torn away from their respective atoms. H+ and He2+ etc.

I thought that plasma occurred when the electrons were torn away from their respective atoms. H+ and He2+ etc.
Looks like you are correct.

I thought it was when diatomic gasses (eg. H2) had been separated. I guess this is true, but as a side effect of the electrons being ripped away.

Im pretty certain I saw a video of this over half a year ago.