2011/10/06 by Georgios H. Vatistas, Vatistas, Georgios H.
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Geophysics and Gravity Measurements #Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics #Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR) #astro-ph.SR
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1110.1215
11 pages, 2 figures
arxiv created 2011/10/06 · openalex publication_date 2011/10/06 · arxiv updated 2011/10/07 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
In this letter we identify similarities amongst sunspots and terrestrial vortices. The dark appearance of the central part of any sunspot is currently justified by an anticipated cooling effect experienced by the ionized gas. However, it cannot single-handedly reconcile the halo that surrounds the penumbra, the subsequent second dim ring that could be possibly followed by a second halo. In antithesis, light refraction due to density variations in a compressible whirl can give reason for all of these manifestations. Certain data of Wilson's depression fit better the geometric depth profile of a two-celled vortex. The last provides a hurricane equivalent manifestation for the normal and reverse Evershed effect. There is compelling evidence that alike to atmospheric vortices sunspots do also spawn meso-cyclones.