In early December 2019, the results of the mission of the Parker probe, which was sent to the Sun a year and a half earlier, became known.
In the American journal Space, the first conclusions of scientists regarding the processes that occur on the Sun were published. The discoveries made by the NASA Parker space probe concern the structure and mechanisms of the functioning of the star. The device reached a previously unexplored region of the solar system so that scientists could understand how the solar wind accelerates to colossal speeds and why the outer layers of the sun’s atmosphere (the corona) have a higher temperature than the surface of the star.
The Parker is equipped with an instrument for studying electrons, protons and heavy ions accelerating to tremendous speeds in the atmosphere of the Sun, a device for measuring electric and magnetic fields and waves, telescopes for observing the corona, and an apparatus for studying the main elements contained in the solar wind. .
It turned out that there are many more energy events taking place on the Sun than scientists previously thought. The NASA probe determined that the speed of the “slow” solar wind, which makes up the entire flow, does not exceed 1,8 million km / h. The speed of the “fast” wind is twice as high. It was also found that the magnetic field passing by the probe abruptly changes direction by 180 degrees, but after a few seconds turns back. These measurements, according to scientists, will help to better protect satellites, rockets and the astronauts themselves.