The Convective Zone

In the convective zone, energy is transferred through the flow and dispersion of heat throught a fluid (including gas). In the sun, the fluid is plasma, and the movement of temperature that occurs is convection. Convection in the sun functions in a way similar to a lava lamp, in which plasma at the bottom, heated by the energy coming from the radiative zone, become bouyant and rises to the top, then cools down, therefore increasing it's density, and returns to the bottom. The convective zone occurs because the temperature is no longer high enough to support the rapid absorbtion and emission of the radiative zone. The very top of the convective zone is visible, and creates the granulation we can see in the sun's surface. This granulation is due to the difference in temparature of the plasma. During periods of magnetic flux, which align with the 11-year solar cycle to create solar weather, the variations in magnetism can inhibit convection and create large, cool, dark spots on the sun known as sunspots.

Facts