Abstract
Sunspots have been known in theWest since Galileo Galilei and Thomas Harriot first used telescopes to observe the Sun nearly four centuries ago; they have been known to the Chinese for more than 2,000 years. They appear as relatively dark patches on the surface of the Sun, and are caused by concentrations of magnetism, which impede the flow of heat from deep inside the Sun up to its otherwise brilliant surface. The spots are not permanent: the total number of spots on the Sun varies cyclically in time, with a period of about 11 years, associated with which there appear to be variations in our climate. When there are many spots, it is more dangerous for spacecraft to operate. The cause of the spots is not well understood; nor is it known for sure how they die. Their structure beneath the surface of the Sun is in some dispute, although much is known about their properties at the surface, including an outward material flow, which was discovered by John Evershed observing the Sun from Kodaikanal a 100 years ago. I shall give you a glimpse of how we are striving to deepen our understanding of these fascinating features, and some of the phenomena that appear to be associated with them.
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© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Gough, D.O. (2010). Vainu Bappu Memorial Lecture: What is a Sunspot?. In: Hasan, S., Rutten, R. (eds) Magnetic Coupling between the Interior and Atmosphere of the Sun. Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02859-5_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02859-5_4
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