What observable feature on the Sun's photosphere is the visible top of a convective cell?
Answer
Granulation
Granulation is the direct surface manifestation of the vigorous energy transport occurring within the underlying convective zone. Each granular structure visible on the photosphere represents the top of a single convective cell. In these features, hot, buoyant plasma rises to the surface, creating the bright centers of the granules, while cooler, denser plasma sinks back down into the interior through the darker lanes separating the cells. This structure provides a fleeting visual confirmation of the continuous churning motion happening hundreds of thousands of kilometers below the surface.
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