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Related papers: What are Switchbacks?

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One of the most striking observations made by Parker Solar Probe during its first solar encounter is the omnipresence of rapid polarity reversals in a magnetic field that is otherwise mostly radial. These so-called switchbacks strongly…

The subject of switchbacks, defined either as large angular deflections or polarity reversals of the magnetic field, has generated substantial interest in the space physics community since the launch of Parker Solar Probe (PSP) in 2018.…

Parker Solar Probe (PSP) has shown that the solar wind in the inner heliosphere is characterized by the quasi omni-presence of magnetic switchbacks ("switchback" hereinafter), local backward-bends of magnetic field lines. Switchbacks also…

We study large-amplitude, very oblique Alfv\'en waves at low $\beta$, with small gradient length scales, comparable to the ion inertial scale $d_i$. Such waves have large density fluctuations, and slight dispersion from finite-frequency and…

Plasma Physics · Physics 2023-11-10 Alfred Mallet

Magnetic switchbacks are large amplitude deflections of the magnetic field within the solar wind. They are Alfv\'enic in character and so are associated with a spike in velocity and a generally small variation in local plasma density. Early…

Context. Recent spacecraft observations in the inner heliosphere have revealed the presence of local Alfvenic reversals of the magnetic field, while the field magnitude remains almost constant. They are called magnetic switchbacks and are…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2023-09-13 F. Malara , S. Perri , J. Giacalone , G. Zimbardo

Switchbacks (rotations of the magnetic field) are observed on the Parker Solar Probe. Their evolution, content, and plasma effects are studied in this paper. The solar wind does not receive a net acceleration from switchbacks that it…

Switchbacks -- rapid, large deflections of the solar wind's magnetic field -- have generated significant interest as possible signatures of the key mechanisms that heat the corona and accelerate the solar wind. In this context, an important…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2022-11-23 Jonathan Squire , Zade Johnston , Alfred Mallet , Romain Meyrand

We analyze magnetic field data from the first six encounters of PSP, three Helios fast streams and two Ulysses south polar passes covering heliocentric distances $0.1\lesssim R\lesssim 3$ au. We use this data set to statistically determine…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2021-10-13 Anna Tenerani , Nikos Sioulas , Lorenzo Matteini , Olga Panasenco , Chen Shi , Marco Velli

The magnetic switchbacks observed recently by the Parker Solar Probe have raised the question about their nature and origin. One of the competing theories of their origin is the interchange reconnection in the solar corona. In this…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2021-06-23 Norbert Magyar , Dominik Utz , Robertus Erdélyi , Valery M. Nakariakov

We investigate the generation and evolution of switchbacks (SBs), the nature of the sub-Alfv\'enic wind observed by Parker Solar Probe (PSP), and the morphology of the Alfv\'enic transition, all of which are key issues in solar wind…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2023-02-22 Ying D. Liu , Hao Ran , Huidong Hu , Stuart D. Bale

We provide a simple geometric explanation for the source of switchbacks and associated large and one-sided transverse flows in the solar wind observed by Parker Solar Probe. The more radial, Sub-Parker Spiral structure of the heliospheric…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2021-03-17 N. A. Schwadron , D. J. McComas

Local inversions are often observed in the heliospheric magnetic field (HMF), but their origins and evolution are not yet fully understood.Parker Solar Probe has recently observed rapid, Alfvenic, HMF inversions in the inner heliosphere,…

Space Physics · Physics 2020-04-14 Allan Macneil , Mathew Owens , Robert Wicks , Mike Lockwood , Sarah Bentley , Mathew Lang

Magnetic switchbacks are distinct magnetic structures characterized by their abrupt reversal in the radial component of the magnetic field within the pristine solar wind. Switchbacks are believed to lose magnetic energy with heliocentric…

The solar wind is found by Parker Solar Probe (PSP) to be abundant with Alfv\'enic velocity spikes and magnetic field kinks. Temperature enhancement is another remarkable feature associated with the Alfv\'enic spikes. How the prototype of…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2023-01-11 Jiansen He , Xingyu Zhu , Liping Yang , Chuanpeng Hou , Die Duan , Lei Zhang , Ying Wang

\textit{Parker Solar Probe} has shown the ubiquitous presence of strong magnetic field deflections, namely switchbacks, during its first perihelion where it was embedded in a highly Alfv\'enic slow stream. Here, we study the turbulent…

Switchbacks (SBs) are localized structures in the solar wind containing deflections of the magnetic field direction relative to the background solar wind magnetic field. The amplitudes of the magnetic field deflection angles for different…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2023-12-05 O. V. Agapitov , J. F. Drake , M. Swisdak , K. -E. Choi , N. Raouafi

We analyze \emph{Parker Solar Probe} and \emph{Solar Orbiter} measurements of magnetic-field reversals (``switchbacks'') across the Alfv\'en surface ($M_a\simeq 1$), where $M_a$ is the Alfv\'en Mach number. The reported ``sub-Alfv\'enic…

The recent rediscovery of magnetic field switchbacks or deflections embedded in the solar wind flow by the Parker Solar Probe mission lead to a huge interest in the modelling of the formation mechanisms and origin of these switchbacks.…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2021-04-28 Norbert Magyar , Dominik Utz , Robertus Erdélyi , Valery M. Nakariakov

The S-shaped magnetic structure in the solar wind formed by the twisting of magnetic field lines is called a switchback, whose main characteristics are the reversal of the magnetic field and the significant increase in the solar wind radial…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2022-01-21 Mingming Meng , Ying D. Liu , Chong Chen , Rui Wang