NYU Abu Dhabi researchers find mysterious new set of waves in Sun
Researchers from NYU Abu Dhabi’s (NYUAD) Centre for Space Science have discovered a new set of waves in the Sun that, unexpectedly, appear to travel much faster than predicted by theory.
In the study, ‘Discovery of high-frequency-retrograde vorticity waves in the Sun’, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the researchers, led by Research Associate Chris S. Hanson, detailed how they analysed 25 years of space and ground-based data to detect these waves. The high-frequency retrograde (HFR) waves, which move in the opposite direction of the Sun’s rotation, appear as a pattern of vortices (swirling motions) on the surface of the Sun and move at three times the speed established by current theory.
The interior of the Sun and stars cannot be imaged by conventional astronomy (e.g. optical, x-ray etc.), and scientists rely on interpreting the surface signatures of a variety of waves to image the interiors. These new HFR waves may yet be an important puzzle piece in our understanding of stars.
Complex interactions between other well known waves and magnetism, gravity or convection could drive the HFR waves at this speed. “If the HFR waves could be attributed to any of these three processes, then the finding would have answered some open questions we still have about the Sun,” said Hanson. “However, these new waves don’t appear to be a result of these processes, and that’s exciting because it leads to a whole new set of questions.”
This research was conducted within NYUAD’s Centre for Space Science in collaboration with the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and New York University, using NYUAD and TIFR’s computational resources. By studying the Sun’s interior dynamics – through the use of waves – scientists can better appreciate the Sun’s potential impact on the Earth and other planets in our solar system.
“The very existence of HFR modes and their origin is a true mystery and may allude to exciting physics at play,” said Shravan Hanasoge, a co-author of the paper. “It has the potential to shed insight on the otherwise unobservable interior of the Sun.”
If you’re planning to renew your Indian passport in the UAE, you may have noticed longer waiting times over the past few weeks. That’s because passport and consular services have moved to a new outsourcing partner, and the Indian Consulate in Dubai says it’s now working to clear the backlog as quickly as possible.
The new Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs), operated by Alhind Tours and Travels, have replaced the previous service provider and are now handling passport renewals and other consular services across the UAE.
Why are there delays?
According to the Consulate General of India in Dubai, the transition between service providers created a temporary backlog, leading to heavy demand at ICAC centres across the country.
Newly appointed Consul General Dr E. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy said some initial ‘teething problems’ were expected but added that clearing pending applications, particularly Tatkal (fast-track) requests, is now a top priority.
The Consulate and the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi together provide consular services to nearly four million Indians living in the UAE.
Who can walk in without an appointment?
To help those with urgent travel needs, the new centres are accepting walk-in applications for genuine emergency cases.
These include:
- Tatkal passport applications with proof of urgent travel
- Newborn passport applications
- Senior citizens
- Emergency Certificate applications
Applicants must carry documents supporting their request, such as a confirmed flight ticket for travel within the next two or three days.
Only official appointments permitted
The Consulate has also warned applicants not to use unofficial agents offering paid appointment bookings.
Officials said appointments should only be made through the official portal, adding that Alhind’s Dh19 service fee already includes services such as form filling and photography. Applicants should not be paying additional charges for these services.
The Consulate says it is working closely with the new operator to reduce waiting times and improve the overall experience. More digital services are also being introduced to simplify the application process and reduce the need for intermediaries.
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