Solar activity and classical physics

This review of solar physics emphasizes several of the more conspicuous sci entific puzzles posed by contemporary observational knowledge of the magnet ic activity of the Sun. The puzzles emphasize how much classical physics we have yet to learn from the Sun. The physics of solar activity is based on the principles of Newton, Maxwell, Lorentz, Boltzmann, et. al., along with the principles of radiative transfer. In the large, these principles are ex pressed by magnetohydrodynamics. A brief derivation of the magnetohydrodyna mic induction and momentum equations is provided, with a discussion of popu lar misconceptions.