The Sun

A) There are many different patterns in solar activities. These solar activities include the sunspot cycle, solar flares, and solar wind. Sunspots are the result of shifting magnetic field inside the sun. The sunspot cycle fluctuates with the number of sunspots and peaks every 11 years. During this period the sunspots "migrate from about 35 degrees north and south latitude toward the sun's equator." If the sunspots are plotted on a map during this 11 year period they make the shape of a butterfly's wings. Solar flares are "a sudden, rapid, and intense variation of brightness." A pattern of a solar flare includes a disruption of the sun's internal magnetic field. This is caused by a "magnetic twisting" that keeps building until the breaking point then burns into a solar flare. Solar wind is a "stream of energized, charged particles, primarily protons and electrons, flowing outward from the sun." A pattern for solar wind is the expanding and contracting of sun's internal magnetic field.

B) Most of the solar activities have an effect on Earth. One of these effects on Earth is auroras. Auroras are natural light displays in the sky that are also known as the Northern lights because they usually occur at high latitudes. The causes for auroras are solar winds on the sun. As solar winds travel to Earth, they interact with the Earth's magnetic field and create auroras. Also solar activities such as solar flares can disrupt radio and satellite communications. Solar flares can disrupt radio and satellite communications and power grids because they are high energy particles and release radiation that act as an electromagnetic pulse. Theses solar flares never reach the Earth's surface because we are protected by the Earth's magnetic field.

C) Nuclear fusion and other processes in stars have led to the formation of all other chemical elements because of the high temperatures and pressures in the cores of the stars. In order for two nuclei to fuse it takes a large amount of energy to do so even if the element is small like hydrogen.       


Bibliography
http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/n/nuclear_fusion.htm. Science Daily. Nuclear Fusion. 2013.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_wind. Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia. Solar Wind. 23 May 2013.


 
http://www.noaa.gov/features/monitoring_0209/images/aurora7.jpg



http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2010/images/solar_flares_h-3.jpg



http://www.klimadebat.dk/forum/vedhaeftninger/butterfly2.jpg