X-ray picture of
the
Sun

Explanation of the Sunspot-Active Region Connection

There is an actual physical connection between sunspots and X-ray active regions. Sunspots are locations where intense magnetic fields pass through the photosphere. The bright active regions in the corona are also regions of concentrated magnetic field; the loop-like structures sometimes seen in active regions actually trace out the direction of magnetic field lines. The fact that an X-ray active region is found in the corona directly above a photospheric sunspot suggests that the same magnetic field links them both: the magnetic field threads through the sunspot up into the corona, where it loops back down again to the photosphere below.

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