There have been multiple theories that try to explain the formation of the solar system and how it may be working. The latest theory to suggest the structure of the solar system has been proposed by an astronomer from the University of Toronto. A study published last week in the Science journal has suggested that the entire solar system is surrounded by a massive, magnetic tunnel. The study, led by Research Associate at the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Jennifer West mentions that the two bright structures that are seen on opposite sides of the sky which were previously thought to be separate, are in reality connected and are made of rope-like filaments.
West describes this connection as forming what looks like a tunnel around our solar system. The two bright structures, called “the North Polar Spur” and “the Fan Region,” have been known as two separate structures for a long time and most scientific explanations have focused on them individually. However, the latest study by West and her colleagues suggests that the two structures are connected as a unit.
For their study, the researchers simulated what the radio sky looks like from Earth by building their own computer model. With the help of this structure, the team was able to infer that the two structures were connected with “rope-like” magnetic filaments, mentioned in the study. The structures are shaped like long ropes, and made up of charged particles and a magnetic field. The study suggests that they are located about 350 light years away from us and are about 1000 light years long.
In a statement, the expert in magnetism in galaxies and the interstellar medium, said that the magnetic fields do not exist in isolation. West believes that they all must connect to each other. Hence the next step, according to West, is to better understand how this local magnetic field connects both to the larger-scale Galactic magnetic field, and also to the smaller-scale magnetic fields of our Sun and Earth. West also expressed her agreement to the suggestion that the new tunnel model not only brings a fresh insight to the science community, but also a ground-breaking concept for the rest of those present on the planet.
