All articles tagged with #magnetic switchbacks
NASA's Parker Solar Probe captured the first-ever visual footage of the Sun's magnetic switchbacks, revealing the dynamic and previously invisible magnetic behavior of the Sun's outer atmosphere, marking a significant breakthrough in solar physics and space science.
A new study has developed a theory explaining the formation of magnetic switchbacks in the solar wind. These reversals of the radial magnetic field have been observed by the Parker Solar Probe and are now understood to be caused by spherically polarized Alfvén waves that become distorted and oscillate due to varying wave speeds. The research provides a better understanding of the turbulence in the solar wind and could lead to improved space weather models.