High-resolution Imaging of the Magnetic Reconfiguration of the Corona from inside the Corona by WISPR on Parker Solar Probe

Abstract During the 22nd perihelion of Parker Solar Probe at 9.86 solar radii on 2024 December 24, the WISPR telescope captured a detailed sequence of events marking the return of open magnetic flux back to the Sun via the heliospheric current sheet (HCS) reconfiguration. In this Letter, we present a preliminary analysis and interpretation of three intriguing events: inflow swarms, HCS rearrangement, and in/out pair generation. Although all three have been reported from past 1 au coronagraphic observations, the WISPR images reveal new insights into the nature of the reconnection driving these events. We propose that inflowing “tadpoles” around a streamer boundary are likely due to interchange reconnection, but that similarly looking tadpoles forming higher up are the result of tearing-mode instabilities in the HCS. We also capture, for the first time in detail, the role of pinch-off reconnection in the creation of in/out pairs. Although based on only 24 hr of WISPR observations, these results showcase the remarkable power of local imaging and highlight the exciting scientific opportunities from Parker Solar Probe’s future coronal flybys.