What specific phenomenon causes sunspots to appear darker and momentarily cooler than the surrounding solar surface?
Answer
Regions where magnetic fields are so strong they suppress the convection of heat
Sunspots are surface manifestations directly linked to the influence of magnetic fields on the solar plasma. They are not simply areas where the temperature has dropped randomly. Instead, sunspots form in locations where the intrinsic magnetic fields within the plasma become exceptionally strong. This intense magnetic pressure actively suppresses the normal process of heat convection moving energy from the interior toward the surface. This suppression of heat transport results in those specific localized regions appearing temporarily cooler and therefore darker when viewed against the hotter, brighter surrounding plasma.
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