The origin of interplanetary switchbacks in reconnection at chromospheric network boundaries
Abstract There is renewed interest in heliospheric physics following the recent exploration of the pristine solar wind by the Parker Solar Probe. Magnetic switchback structures are frequently observed in the inner heliosphere, but there are open questions about their origin. Many researchers are investigating the statistical properties of switchbacks and their relationships with wave modes, stream types and solar activity, but the sources of switchbacks remain elusive. Here we report that interplanetary switchbacks originate from magnetic reconnection on the Sun that occurs at chromospheric network boundaries and launch solar jet flows. We link in situ interplanetary measurements and remote-sensing solar observations to establish a connection between interplanetary switchbacks and their solar source region, featuring solar jets, chromospheric network boundaries and photospheric magnetic field evolution. Our findings suggest that joint observations of switchbacks and solar jets provide a better estimate of the contribution of magnetic reconnection to coronal heating and solar wind acceleration.
Authors
- Yajie Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5494-4339)
- A. P. Rouillard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4039-5767)
- Huichao Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1732-0196)
- Chuanpeng Hou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7205-2449)
- Stuart D. Bale (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1989-3596)
- Daniel Verscharen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0497-1096)
- Die Duan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6300-6800)
- Jiansen He (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8179-417X)
- Ziqi Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1349-8720)
- Liping Yang
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (FR)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Peking University (CN)
- Harbin Institute of Technology (CN)
- National Space Science Center (CN)
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (DE)
- University College London (GB)
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Astronomy
- Published
- 2024-09-02
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02321-9
- Citations
- 14
- Primary Topic
- Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.64
Funders
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Johns Hopkins University
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Harbin Institute of Technology
- China Scholarship Council
- Peking University
- Science and Technology Facilities Council
- Chinese Government Scholarship