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Coronas-Photon have registered formation of the Sun south activity belt

Russian solar observatory TESIS / CORONAS-Photon, working in orbit since 30 January 2009, photographed one of the most important moments in the history of the next solar cycle — the formation of a new southern zone of activity of our star. The first magnetic field a new round in the Southern Hemisphere rose to the surface of the Sun 23-24 May. Emerged pop-up field of characteristic NS-configuration, ie include the fields of two opposing characters, oriented along the solar latitude. As expected, the field of positive sign in the entire southern zone shifted to the west, and negative margins — to the east. Thus, in the southern hemisphere the Sun is due perepolyusovka magnetic fields, and developed a new magnetic configuration, which will now continue throughout the next cycle.

Belt of activity — one of the key concepts that characterize the solar cycle. It means that the active phenomena on the Sun are not in random locations, and are located in a fairly narrow zone, surrounding the sun parallel to the equator. According to modern theories of such zones in each cycle should be two. One of them is taking place above the equator at a latitude of about 30 degrees, ie located in the northern hemisphere, the Sun and the second should be placed symmetrically in the southern hemisphere.

Forming the first of the two zones of activity (northern) occurred on the Sun at the end of March this year. This was the beginning of a series of phenomena of solar activity that occurred over the next two months: the first outbreak of a new cycle, the formation of the largest in this year’s release of mass, formation of the first powerful active regions. All these phenomena, however, occurred in the northern hemisphere and does not affect the area south of the equator, which remained in a state of «deep hibernation».

So after two years of protracted solar minimum «winter» seems to have ceased, not only in the north, but also in the south of the Sun.

Currently, the southern fields have already emerged pop-up beginning to warm up the crown, which led to the local growth of temperature up to 5 million degrees, as well as a marked increase in luminosity in the hard ultraviolet. At the visible surface of the Sun began to take shape «torches» — bright field, usually is a harbinger of forming sunspots.

The flow of radiation fields in X-ray band, where the usual measure solar flares, so far, however, is void. This means that the formation of the first outbreaks in the southern hemisphere the Sun is likely to have to wait at least another month — until the new area of the belt make a full revolution around the axis of the Sun and return to Earth «more fragile».

However, a new zone of activity can be as strong, and collapse. The current solar cycle is full of surprises, and perhaps they have not yet ended.


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