Switchbacks in the solar magnetic field: their evolution, their content, and their effects on the plasma, V2

TL;DR

This study investigates the properties, evolution, and plasma effects of magnetic switchbacks observed by the Parker Solar Probe, revealing their role in solar wind dynamics and plasma heating.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the magnetic structure, energy transfer, and wave content of switchbacks, highlighting their impact on solar wind acceleration and plasma heating.

Findings

Switchbacks increase in rotation angle with radial distance.

Significant Poynting fluxes are confined inside switchbacks.

Wave activity within switchbacks may contribute to plasma heating.

Abstract

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 encountered upstream of the observation point. The typical switchback rotation angle increased with radial distance. Significant Poynting fluxes existed inside, but not outside, switchbacks and they are related to the increased EXB/B2 flow caused by the magnetic field rotating to become more perpendicular to the flow direction. (Outside the switchbacks, the magnetic field and solar wind flow were generally radial.) The solar wind flow inside switchbacks was faster than that outside due to the frozen-in ions moving with the magnetic structure at the Alfven speed. This energy gain results from the divergence of the Poynting flux from outside to inside the switchback, which produces a loss of electromagnetic energy on switchback entry and recovery of that energy on exit, with the lost energy appearing in the plasma flow. Switchbacks contain 0.3-10 Hz waves that may result from currents and the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability that occurs at the switchback boundaries. These waves may combine with lower frequency MHD waves to heat the plasma. The radial decreases of the Poynting flux and solar wind speed inside switchbacks are due to a geometrical effect.