Scientists have long been puzzled by the paradox of the Sun's outer atmosphere, or "corona," being significantly hotter than its surface, despite being farther from the Sun's core where energy originates. New research led by Syed Ayaz from the University of Alabama in Huntsville offers a potential explanation: kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs). These small-scale waves, driven by magnetic field vibrations and movements in the Sun's photosphere, may dissipate and transfer energy to the corona, contributing to its extreme temperatures.

Ayaz and his team have theorized that as KAWs travel through the Sun's plasma, they rapidly dissipate their energy, heating the corona to over 2 million degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 million degrees Celsius). This process contrasts with the expected temperature gradient, where one would anticipate the Sun's outer layers to be cooler. The findings suggest that KAWs could be a significant yet underexplored mechanism in the heating of the Sun's corona.

Supporting this research, data from the European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter and NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory reveal that other high-frequency magnetic waves also contribute to heating the corona. Additionally, recent data from NASA's MaGIXS-2 sounding rocket mission, which captured X-rays from the Sun, is expected to provide further insights into energy bursts within the Sun, shedding light on the complex heating processes at play.

Despite these advancements, some previously suspected heating mechanisms, such as S-shaped magnetic field bends, have been ruled out. Recent findings from the Parker Solar Probe, which conducted preliminary investigations into the Sun's magnetic fields, did not find evidence supporting these theories. As the probe continues its mission, further discoveries may offer additional explanations for the Sun's coronal heating mystery.