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stellar magnetic field

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magnetic field generated by the motion of conductive plasma inside a star

~15 min read

Encyclopedic overview

The magnetic field of the Sun is driving this filament eruption. NOAA image. Holly Gilbert, NASA GSFC solar scientist, explains a model of magnetic fields on the sun.

A stellar magnetic field is a magnetic field generated by the motion of conductive plasma inside a star. This motion is created through convection, which is a form of energy transport involving the physical movement of material. A localized magnetic field exerts a force on the plasma, effectively increasing the pressure without a comparable gain in density. As a result, the magnetized region rises relative to the remainder of the plasma, until it reaches the star's photosphere. This creates starspots on the surface, and the related phenomenon of coronal loops.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “stellar magnetic field” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.