Answer to Question #61088 in Astronomy | Astrophysics for Amit Sharma

Question

Explain how sunspots survive for so long even though they are surrounded by hotter
matter.

Answer 1

Sunspots are the visible results of magnetic flux tubes in the Sun's convective zone. If the stress on the tubes crosses a certain limit, they curl up and puncture the Sun's surface. Convection is suppressed at the puncture points, whence the heat transfer from hot surrounded hot areas is suppressed too.