For the first time, scientists have used satellite data to create a 3D map of the sun’s interior magnetic field, the fundamental driver of solar activity. The research, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, should enable more accurate predictions of solar cycles and space weather that affects satellites and power grids.
Magnetic star
The sun is more than just a fiery hot ball of hydrogen and helium gas. It is a giant magnetic star. Beneath the surface is a magnetic layer that is responsible for everything from the dark spots we see on its face to violent flares that erupt into space. Because of the disruption caused by solar storms, we need to know what is going on inside. We can’t directly observe the interior, so to date we have relied on models that depend on simplified assumptions. But these can be inaccurate.
To get a better idea of what is going on inside the sun, researchers from India fed 30 years of daily magnetic maps from satellites (from 1996 to 2025) into a sophisticated 3D model of the solar dynamo, the physical process that generates the sun’s magnetic field. By using this real-world data, they could track how magnetic fields move deep beneath the surface, where satellites cannot penetrate.
To test their model, the researchers asked it to recreate the solar cycles (11-year cycles of solar magnetic activity) that occurred between 1996 and 2025. They compared the model’s results with what actually happened and found it matched the satellite data with remarkable accuracy.
The model also captured how sunspots move from high latitudes toward the equator over time. This is important because the movement indicates that a solar cycle is approaching its peak.
More accurate predictions
Additionally, the scientists tested the model’s predictive ability. They stopped the data flow at a certain point, then challenged the model to forecast what would happen next. It accurately predicted key features of solar cycles up to three to four years in advance.
“By assimilating observational data in a 3D dynamo model, our methodology paves the way for future temporal as well as latitudinal predictions of active region emergence on the surface and details of the solar cycle,” commented the scientists in their paper.
The research brings us closer to understanding, in real time, what is happening deep beneath the sun’s surface. These insights can help us better prepare for potential infrastructure disruptions on Earth and protect the satellites we rely on for communication and navigation. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-3d-sun-magnetic-interior-disruptive.htm
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