Helioseismology is a fancy way of saying that we
can learn about the Sun by "listening" to it. Astonomers listen to the
Sun's heartbeat to learn about the inside of the Sun, just like seismologists
learn about the interior of the Earth by "listening" to earthquakes. (But
for helioseismologists their job is a lot tougher: like figuring out how
a piano is made by listening to it fall down the stairs!)
"Helioseismology
utilizes waves that propagate throughout the Sun to measure the invisible
internal structure and dynamics of a star." This overview gives a summary
of what helioseismology is and how it is done. By Dave Armet (GONG)
"The Sun is playing a secret melody, hidden inside
itself, that produces a widespread throbbing motion of its surface. The
sounds are coursing through the Sun's interior, causing the entire globe,
or parts of it, to move in and out, slowly and rhythmically like the regular
rise and fall of tides in a bay or of a beating heart." (Quote by Kenneth
R. Lang)
Information about the Solar Physics Branch of Marshall
Space Flight Center's Space Sciences Laboratory. Includes pointers to
areas of solar research, to solar-related missions, and various solar
physics research projects.
Have you ever wanted to be a Sun "weather announcer?"
To predict solar activity you'll need to know some physics. Peruse this
site for techniques on long-term activity forecasts as well as pointers
to other sites which try to predict activity.
Image Credits:
Sun with bell icon by Amara Graps.
Solar oscillation modes image copyright NOAO/AURA/NSF;
reproduction allowed for educational purposes.
Simulation of turbulent convection mirroring the Sun's surface,
from nature.com review of Zirker book.
H-alpha image of solar prominence, shown in blue, *****
