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Monday, November 23, 2009

Photo: Sunspot Delay Due to Sluggish Solar "Jet Stream"?


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A diagram of the sun's interior shows the location (at left) of a jet stream-like plasma current called the torsional oscillation.

Data released in June 2009 suggest the particularly slow movement of this jet stream could be to blame for the delay in increased solar activity that has been stumping astronomers.

Image courtesy AAS