Normal
0
false
false
false
MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
Hi Leslie!
As you may have noticed from the solar
images, sunspots typically appear in pairs/groups. Sunspots form when bundles
of magnetic field (flux tubes) arise inside the Sun to the surface. The
magnetic field lines break through the surface from one spot and then go
back inside through the other spot. Solar activity (e.g. flares and coronal
mass ejections) and strong magnetic fields are concentrated in so-called active
regions. Active regions may have several sunspot pairs. I think single sunspots
you could find in the early or decay phase of the sunspot pair. Also
sometimes a group of sunspot may appear like one big sunspot due to low
resolution.
