Their is a machine(Z machine) on earth that is capable of creating temperatures that are similar to what is found inside the sun's heart and scientists have been using this to see how iron reacts at those kinds of temperatures and the results are astounding. The Z machine creates a pulse of X-rays contains 80 trillion watts of electricity but only last for 100 nanoseconds. When Bailey did this to a small amount of iron they saw that it turned to plasma like in the sun but that they underestimated the opacity of iron by 7 percent.This finding might affect the study of the sun and other stars because they have never tested the opacity of oxygen, iron, and carbon before so it could prove to why they have gotten the results they have and why there are so many conflicts between the calculations and observational data. Knowing the opacity of these three elements might prove that they don't have to change anything and that previous models might still be correct. Right know Bailey is trying to determine why they predicted such a low opacity for the elements. It amazes me sometimes what technology can accomplish like creating specks of solar matter for our observation and with further advances in technology we will be able to better understand the sun and similar stars.
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