Solar Orbit unravels solar wind mystery
The Solar Orbiter spacecraft revealed how mysterious spiral bends form in the magnetic field of the solar wind, known as "sharp magnetic twists," which appear in the shape of the letter S. The study found that these twists develop through two consecutive processes: the first occurs as they approach the Sun, where magnetic reconnection interactions release plasma from closed loops, and the second takes place as they propagate through space, influenced by wave motions and disturbances. This discovery is important for understanding how the Sun heats its outer atmosphere and accelerates solar wind particles. It also aids in decoding the history of solar plasma to protect Earth from dangerous solar storms.
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