Observation of a Magnetic Switchback in the Solar Corona

Journal
Date Issued
2022
Author(s)
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Zank, Gary P.
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Downs, Cooper
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Liang, Haoming
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Nakanotani, Masaru
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Adhikari, Laxman
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Zhao, Lingling
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Grimani, Catia
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Fabi, Michele
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Carbone, Francesco
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Deppo, Vania Da
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Heinzel, Petr
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Moses, John D.
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Teriaca, Luca
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Capuano, Giuseppe E.
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CASTI, MARTA
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CHIOETTO, PAOLO
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Berghmans, David
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Auchère, Frédéric
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Cuadrado, Regina Aznar
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Chitta, Lakshmi P.
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Harra, Louise
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Kraaikamp, Emil
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Long, David M.
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Mandal, Sudip
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Parenti, Susanna
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Pelouze, Gabriel
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Peter, Hardi
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Rodriguez, Luciano
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Schühle, Udo
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Schwanitz, Conrad
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Smith, Phil J.
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Verbeeck, Cis
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Zhukov, Andrei N.
DOI
Abstract
Switchbacks are sudden, large radial deflections of the solar wind magnetic field, widely revealed in interplanetary space by the Parker Solar Probe. The switchbacks' formation mechanism and sources are still unresolved, although candidate mechanisms include Alfvénic turbulence, shear-driven Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, interchange reconnection, and geometrical effects related to the Parker spiral. This Letter presents observations from the Metis coronagraph on board a Solar Orbiter of a single large propagating S-shaped vortex, interpreted as the first evidence of a switchback in the solar corona. It originated above an active region with the related loop system bounded by open-field regions to the east and west. Observations, modeling, and theory provide strong arguments in favor of the interchange reconnection origin of switchbacks. Metis measurements suggest that the initiation of the switchback may also be an indicator of the origin of slow solar wind.
Volume
936
Issue
2
Start page
L25
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
2041-8205
Ads BibCode
2022ApJ...936L..25T
Rights
open.access
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