Using the Hinode satellite, an international research team discovered a new solar dynamo mechanism.

The new type of magnetic field has unique properties. The size is 30 to a hundred times smaller than that of a sunspot. While the typical lifetime of a sunspot is from 6 days to a few months, the mean lifetime of these magnetic fields is only about 4 minutes.

These magnetic fields are called Transient Horizontal Magnetic Fields. The research team is continuing to investigate the role of these magnetic fields in the heating of the chromosphere and the corona, and in the acceleration of the solar wind.

Project	Hinode Science Center
Instrument	HINODE
Related Link	A new solar dynamo mechanism discovered by the Hinode satellite