Question: Can the sun change it's polarity?

[Johnny5]

Can the sun change its polarity?

[swansont]

Can the sun change its polarity?

 

If you are referring to its magnetic field, then the answer is yes; the poles flip every 11 years. If you are referring to something else, you have to specify what you mean by polarity.

[alext87]

I am taking it as if you mean polarity of electric field. If so that the light coming from the sun has no polarity as the electric field goes it all directions. Light is only polar if you make it!

[Johnny5]

I was picturing the magnetic field of the sun as toroidal in shape.

 

Giving the sun two poles, a north pole, and south pole.

 

Then imagining these lines extending outwards into space, and passing through the ecliptic plane, practically perpendicular to it.

 

So I meant north/south pole using this model.

 

So if it's wrong I need to make it right.

 

Thank you

[Johnny5]

If you are referring to its magnetic field, then the answer is yes; the poles flip every 11 years. If you are referring to something else, you have to specify what you mean by polarity.

 

how can the poles reverse every 11 years, and us not notice any kind of effect?

 

 

What is the strength of the sun's magnetic field, at the location of earth?

 

In say units of Gauss.

 

Thank you

[swansont]

how can the poles reverse every 11 years' date=' and us not notice any kind of effect?

 

 

What is the strength of the sun's magnetic field, at the location of earth?

 

In say units of Gauss.

 

Thank you[/quote']

 

Pretty weak, I'd imagine, seeing as dipoles fall of with r³.

 

And Google is a wonderful search engine.

[[Tycho?]]

how can the poles reverse every 11 years' date=' and us not notice any kind of effect?

 

 

What is the strength of the sun's magnetic field, at the location of earth?

 

In say units of Gauss.

 

Thank you[/quote']

 

I doubt anybody knows this information off the top of their head. They would have to look it up somewhere like http://www.google.com or http://www.wikipedia.com. If we can look it up, so can you.

[bascule]

The magnetic field of the sun recently flipped in 2001, and is due to do so again in 2012

[Johnny5]

The magnetic field of the sun recently flipped in 2001, and is due to do so again in 2012

 

That's not exactly correct bascule, there was some confusion about this at a site I was just reading. Let me see if I can find it again.

 

Here is one of the links I was reading: Nasa on Solar Polarity Reversal

 

The date of the article is february 15th, 2001.

 

In the first and second paragraphs, you can clearly see that they say, "the magnetic field of the sun can flip." Meaning that north and south poles switched positions.

 

A little further down, the article says that pole reversal will occur again, in 2012, and that this happens every 11 years, just as Dr Swanson said.

 

But a little further down, I got confused about something they wrote let me see if i can find it...

 

Nevermind, it was another article I was reading, and I can't find that one.