Helioseismology:
Helioseismology, a term coined by Douglas Gough, is the study of the structure and dynamics of the Sun through its oscillations. These are principally caused by sound waves that are continuously driven and damped by convection near the Sun’s surface. It is similar to geoseismology, or asteroseismology (also coined by Gough), which are respectively the studies of the Earth or stars through their oscillations. While the Sun’s oscillations were first detected in the early 1960s, it was only in the mid-1970s that it was realized that the oscillations propagated throughout the Sun and could allow scientists to study the Sun’s deep interior. The modern field is separated into global helioseismology, which studies the Sun’s resonant modes directly, and local helioseismology, which studies the propagation of the component waves near the Sun’s surface. [Wikipedia]
Seems obscure, doesn’t it? Yet as our technology dependence continues to advance, terminology such as this describes fields of study that are becoming more and more important to preserving the stability of our way of life. Noted on Spaceweather.com:
HELIOSEISMIC SUNSPOT ALERT: Researchers who use helioseismology to monitor the farside of the sun have detected echoes from a potentially significant sunspot group. It’s right here. The active region, whatever it is, will rotate into view early next week.
