Archive · 24 Jul 2025
IIA Scientists Discover Sun's Mysteries with Tiny Plasma Loops
Scientists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have made a discovery about tiny loops of plasma on the Sun.
These loops are like miniature versions of the larger loops scientists already study.
They found that the tiny loops are hard to see because they don't last long.
By using special telescopes, the scientists learned more about these loops.
This helps them understand how the Sun works, like how it stores and releases energy.
The scientists were also puzzled by how hot the loops get, which is something they will study more in the future.
They hope to learn more about them with new instruments like the National Large Solar Telescope.
IIA scientists in Bengaluru studied miniature plasma loops in the Sun's atmosphere.
The research provides new insights into the Sun's mysteries.
The study used data from ground-based and space-based instruments.
Tiny loops, lasting only a few minutes, offer a window into how magnetic energy is stored and released.
The study also identified puzzling behavior regarding plasma temperature within the loops.
- Who
- Scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Bengaluru, including Annu Bura, Jayant Joshi, and Tanmoy Samanta, conducted the research.
- What
- Scientists studied miniature plasma loops in the Sun's atmosphere.
- When
- The study was recently published.
- Where
- The research was conducted at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Bengaluru, using data from various telescopes including the Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) in the USA.
- Why
- To better understand the Sun's behavior, especially how magnetic energy is stored and released.
- Institution
- Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA)
- Location
- Bengaluru
- Subject
- Miniature Plasma Loops
- Telescopes Used
- Goode Solar Telescope (BBSO), Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS)
- Loop Length
- 3,000 km to 4,000 km
- Loop Width
- Less than 100 km
- Loop Duration
- A few minutes
- Published in
- The Astrophysical Journal