A NUMERICAL model of the sun has been created for the first time, showing the formation of flares, jets and mass ejections it sends hurtling towards Earth.

Scientists at St Andrews University, who are behind the structure, now intend to produce larger and more detailed models to help understand various solar and astrophysical phenomena.

The model investigates the rising motion of magnetic fields, from inside the sun to its outer atmosphere, and shows spectacular structures emerging within the sun before they ever become visible.

The team which came up with it is led by Dr Vasilis Archontis, Professor Alan Hood and Dr Chris Brady, of the university’s school of mathematics and statistics.

They are investigating the suspected links between magnetic fields and the creation of solar filaments, flares and plasma ejections.

Recent observations have revealed many properties of these events, but the knowledge of the physics behind their formation and evolution is still limited.

The model created by the St Andrews researchers has successfully produced phenomena consistent with real-life observations, which means that it is good enough to investigate real solar behaviour.

Dr Archontis said, “Solar flares and coronal mass ejections blast high-energy gamma-rays and X-rays toward the Earth, which can disrupt GPS and navigational signals.

“Also, eruptions of structures called plasmoids can turn into large-scale explosions of high-speed plasma that may set off geomagnetic storms on Earth.

“The sun also regularly sends X-ray jets hurtling into outer space. All these phenomena, it turns out, are related, and caused by relatively simple natural processes that take place out of view, beneath the sun’s visible surface.

“What we have created is a numerical model of magnetic fields which interact as they rise from the deep solar interior.

“This model is good enough to produce the above-mentioned dramatic events occurring in the sun.”