Switchback deflections beyond the early parker solar probe encounters
File(s)
Published version
OA Location
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Switchbacks are Aflvénic fluctuations in the solar wind, which exhibit large rotations in the magnetic field direction. Observations from Parker Solar Probe’s (PSP’s) first two solar encounters have formed the basis for many of the described switchback properties and generation mechanisms. However, this early data may not be representative of the typical near-Sun solar wind, biasing our current understanding of these phenomena. One defining switchback property is the magnetic deflection direction. During the first solar encounter, this was primarily in the tangential direction for the longest switchbacks, which has since been discussed as evidence, and a testable prediction, of several switchback generation methods. In this study, we re-examine the deflection direction of switchbacks during the first eight PSP encounters to confirm the existence of a systematic deflection direction. We first identify switchbacks exceeding a threshold deflection in the magnetic field and confirm a previous finding that they are arc-polarized. In agreement with earlier results from PSP’s first encounter, we find that groups of longer switchbacks tend to deflect in the same direction for several hours. However, in contrast to earlier studies, we find that there is no unique direction for these deflections, although several solar encounters showed a non-uniform distribution in deflection direction with a slight preference for the tangential direction. This result suggests a systematic magnetic configuration for switchback generation, which is consistent with interchange reconnection as a source mechanism, although this new evidence does not rule out other mechanisms, such as the expansion of wave modes.
Date Issued
2022-10-08
Date Acceptance
2022-08-18
Citation
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2022, 517 (1), pp.1001-1005
ISSN
0035-8711
Publisher
Royal Astronomical Society
Start Page
1001
End Page
1005
Journal / Book Title
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume
517
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
License URL
Sponsor
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Identifier
https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000865283600005&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
ST/S000364/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Sun: magnetic fields
Sun: heliosphere
solar wind
MAGNETIC-FIELD
SUN
WIND
SUPERGRANULATION
BEHAVIOR
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2022-09-06