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Chapter 10
Our Star: the Sun
term:
active Sun
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definition:
The group of solar phenomena that vary with
time, such as active regions and their
phenomena.
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term:
chromosphere
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definition:
The part of the atmosphere of the Sun (or
another star) between the photosphere and the
corona. It is probably entirely composed of
spicules and probably roughly corresponds to
the region in which mechanical energy is
deposited.
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term:
convection
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definition:
The method of energy transport in which the
rising motion of masses from below carries
energy upward in a gravitational field. Boiling is
an example.
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term:
core
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definition:
The central region of a star or planet.
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term:
corona
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definition:
The outermost region of the Sun (or of other
stars), characterized by temperatures of millions
of kelvins.
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term:
coronal holes
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definition:
Relatively dark regions of the corona having low
density; they result from open field lines.
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term:
filaments
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definition:
A feature of the solar surface seen in H-alpha
as a dark wavy line; a prominence projected on
the solar disk.
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term:
flare
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definition:
An extremely rapid brightening of a small area
of the surface of the Sun, usually observed in
H-alpha and other strong spectral lines and
accompanied by x-ray and radio emission.
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term:
general theory of
relativity
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definition:
Einstein's 1916 theory of gravity.
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term:
granulation
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definition:
Convection cells on the Sun about 1 arc sec
across.
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term:
interior
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definition:
The inside of an object.
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term:
magnetic-field lines
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definition:
Directions mapping out the direction of the force
between magnetic poles; the packing of the
lines shows the strength of the force.
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term:
Maunder minimum
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definition:
The period 1645-1715, when there were very
few sunspots, and no periodicity, visible.
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term:
penumbra
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definition:
(a) For an eclipse, the part of the shadow from
which the Sun is only partially occulted; (b) of a
sunspot, the outer region, not as dark as the
umbra.
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term:
photosphere
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definition:
The region of a star from which most of its light
is radiated.
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term:
prominence
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definition:
Solar gas protruding over the limb, visible to the
naked eye only at eclipses but also observed
outside the eclipses by its emission-line
spectrum.
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term:
quiet Sun
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definition:
The collection of solar phenomena that do not
vary with the solar activity cycle.
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term:
solar atmosphere
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definition:
The photosphere, chromosphere, and corona of
the Sun.
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term:
solar wind
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definition:
An outflow of particles from the Sun
representing the expansion of the corona.
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term:
solar-activity cycle
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definition:
The 11-year cycle with which solar activity like
sunspots, flares, and prominences varies.
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term:
streamers
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definition:
Coronal structures at low solar latitudes.
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term:
sunspot
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definition:
A region of the solar surface that is dark and
relatively cool; it has an extremely high
magnetic field.
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term:
sunspot cycle
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definition:
The 11-year cycle of variation of the number of
sunspots visible on the Sun.
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term:
umbra (umbrae)
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definition:
(a) Of a sunspot, the dark central region; (b) of
an eclipse shadow, the part from which the Sun
cannot be seen at all.
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term:
white light
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definition:
All the light of the visible spectrum together.
[ end of Chapter 10 ]
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