At one time, scientists thought the space between Earth and
Sun was a vacuum. But we now know that the sun fills it with gusts of hot,
electrically charged atomic (36) called the solar wind.
Sometimes this wind blows hard. When the Sun’s outer layer is very active, it
(37) nearly one-third of its gaseous matter outward at
supersonic speeds. The U.S. government’s oceans and atmosphere
agency NOAA, has a Space Environment Center to monitor these (38)
. The center’s director, Ernest Hildner, says (39)
solar emissions are not dangerous to people on the ground, but can be a
(40) to airplane occupants and astronauts. They can also
shut down satellites, power networks, communications, and other technical
systems. Scientists have long known that solar storms are
generated internally by the sudden (41) of magnetic energy
rising to the surface. Like a tightly (42) rubber band, the
Sun’s magnetic fields can suddenly snap into a new shape. Researchers have tried
to predict solar storms by (43) on these magnetic patterns.
But (44) . But how are they linked to solar storms
New satellite data have provided answers to U.S. government scientists and
colleagues from the aerospace firm Lockheed Martin. They have revealed that
(45) . Lockheed Martin physicist Karel Schrijver says
(46) .
【参考答案】
magnetic fields merging at different angles to each other a......