re adjacent to each other {figure2}. The thredules cannot expand beyond the high temperature core, howeverthe magnetic fields lengthen out into space. When the magnetic lines reach intospace the opposite polarity extending out from the opposite side attract eachother and form loops. Over time this attraction leads to the angle of where themagnetic field extends from is altered from the high latitudes to lower latitudesuntil the polarities flip (2Nehru 1-3).This theory explains how the magnetic poles of the Sun reverseand it also answers another question about the nature of sunspots. When thesun begins it cycle of sunspots the majority of the sunspots are at the higherlatitudes while later in the cycle they appear at the lower latitudes. Thisresembles the pattern of where the magnetic fields extending from the thredulesare positioned.The National Center of Atmospheric Research is using sunspots to try topredict the damage the Sun radiation is causing to the Earth’s atmosphere. Todo this they measure the amounts of radiation fluctuations. Utilizing thatinformation they can estimate the amount of radiation that reaches Earth. Theirresults will assist astronomers and other scientist in understanding radiation’seffect on the atmosphere (Analyzing 11-12).Another project called Ulysses is currently being used to study the Sun. The probe Ulysses was “launched in 1990 to observe the solar system from veryhigh solar latitudes” (Philips 2). Ulysses is the first probe to ever observe fromsuch latitudes. Ulysses has just finished flying under the Sun’s south pole and inthe fall it will be flying of the north pole at a solar latitude of 2.2 AUs (Philips 2). This project will hopefully enable scientists to learn more about sunspots andother properties of the Sun.Understanding more about sunspots, their cycle, radiation, and magneticproperties will facilitate scientists to unlock the mysterious workings of the Su...
