Hobbies And Interests
Location
The convection zone extends to more than 125,000 miles below the sun's surface, where the radiative zone begins. As such, it is the outermost region of the sun's interior. The exterior surface of the convection zone is called the photosphere; this is the part of the sun that emits visible light.
Physical Characteristics
The plasma in the convective zone consists primarily of superheated hydrogen and helium gas. The convection zone is heated by the radiative zone beneath it. Temperatures at the bottom of the convective zone reach more than 3,600,000 degrees Fahrenheit; as heated plasma rises to the surface, its temperature drops to a little more than 10,000 degrees, and it falls back toward the bottom. This process is called convection.
Motion
The plasma within the convective zone is extremely turbulent. In addition to the turbulence of the plasma itself, the convective zone is also rotating, which causes a swirling effect in the convection process. Convection also produces the "cells" that cover the sun's surface. These are convective bubbles that have reached the top of the convection zone, and will eventually fall back down as they cool.
Magnetic Fields
The turbulent motions of convection, and the rotation of the various parts of the sun, create electrical currents and magnetic fields throughout the convective zone. These magnetic fields bundle together and flow to the sun's surface by means of convective currents. When these magnetic field bundles reach the surface, they appear as sunspots, which are dark areas that are much cooler than the surrounding area.