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Sun Earth Connection
The Sun provides the Earth with the necessary radiation to sustain life, but the sun also
produces violent outbursts of plasma from solar flares and CMEs (Coronal Mass
Ejections) and more steady streams of plasma called the Solar Wind.
Plasma
Plasma is the 4th state of matter. Most of us are familiar with the 3 most common states
of matter on the Earth….gases, liquids, and solids. Plasma is an ionized gas. High
temperature allows the electrons and protons to remain free and not form permanent
atoms. Our sun and most of the Universe is in the plasma state of matter. On the Earth,
lightning superheats the air molecules and forms temporary plasma.
Electromagnetic radiation traveling at 186,000 miles/sec from the sun (about 93 million
miles away) takes about 8 minutes to reach the earth.
Solar flare and CME ejections of plasma can travel at a slower rate toward the Earth.
CMEs, the largest release of plasma, can travel up to 1300 miles/sec. Plasma from the
solar wind travels even slower, averaging about 250 miles/sec.
Although solar flares and CMEs travel faster than the continuous solar wind, there’s still
a 1 to 3 day time lapse before the effects of the plasma are recorded as it hits the Earth’s
magnetosphere.
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For more information …
1. http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~justink/astr350/events.html
This site gives further explanation on the different speeds of solar events.
2. http://www.spacescience.org/ExploringSpace/PlasmaStateOfMatter/1.html
This a very good site that explains what plasmas are, where they are found, and
how they are created.