< Back to Contents

S Shape May help Predict Solar Storms

The appearance of an S shape in X-ray images of magnetically active regions of the sun's corona may help forecast solar storms hours to days before they erupt.

References:

Canfield, R.C., H.S. Hudson, and D.E. McKenzie. In press. Sigmoidal morphology and eruptive solar activity. Geophysical Research Letters.

Further Readings:

Cowen, R. 1997. Solar cloud hits Earth's magnetosphere. Science News 151(Feb. 1):68.

Monastersky, R. 1999. Not so sunny weather: When currents go bad. Science News 155(March 6):150.

Sources:

Richard C. Canfield
Montana State University
Department of Physics
Bozeman, MT 59717-3840

Ernest Hildner
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Space Environment Center
326 Broadway R/E/SE
Boulder, CO 80303

From Science News, Vol. 155, No. 11, March 13, 1999, p. 164. Copyright © 1999, Science Service.

• Home
• Search
• Feedback

• Table of Contents
• Online Archive
• Order Back Issues