June 18, 2009--It might look like a psychedelic sunflower, but this computer-generated model is actually providing researchers with the seeds of a better understanding of potentially dangerous solar storms.

According to the study team, led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the model is the first fully detailed, 3-D look at a sunspot. These relatively cool "blemishes" on the sun mark regions of magnetic disturbance that can ultimately affect Earth. The model simulates how energy moving under a sunspot affects its structure, which can tell scientists more about the driving forces behind solar activity.