On the coronal origin of magnetic switchbacks in the solar wind

Abstract The Sun continuously releases a stream of charged particles known as the solar wind, threaded by magnetic field lines that occasionally fold back on themselves in sharp reversals called magnetic switchbacks. These structures are frequently observed by spacecraft near the Sun, but their formation mechanism remains an open question. Using measurements from Solar Orbiter at 0.55 AU, we report heavy ion observations within a magnetic switchback that provide direct evidence of its solar source. Elevated charge-state ratios of oxygen and carbon, combined with a depletion of helium relative to protons, indicate that the switchback plasma originated from hot, closed coronal loop structures. A semi-empirical coronal model, constrained by electron temperature and density measurements from the Solar Dynamics Observatory, traces the ion signatures to either a coronal hole boundary or loops within the coronal hole, implicating the source mechanism as interchange reconnection, where closed loops reconnect with open magnetic field and eject plasma. The proton velocity and magnetic field fluctuations of the switchback are in accordance with an outward-propagating Alfvén wave. These findings suggest that interchange reconnection and wave or turbulence mechanisms jointly govern switchback origin and propagation, respectively. Most importantly, we show that switchbacks preserve measurable signatures, carrying information about the physical processes that heat the solar atmosphere and accelerate the solar wind.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Nature Astronomy
Published
2026-10-08
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-026-02928-0
Primary Topic
Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

On the coronal origin of magnetic switchbacks in the solar wind

Nawin Ngampoopun, Deborah Baker, Jesse T. Coburn, P. Louarn et al.
Nature Astronomy
Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics
article

On the coronal origin of magnetic switchbacks in the solar wind

Nawin Ngampoopun, Deborah Baker, Jesse T. Coburn, P. Louarn, Andrew N. Fazakerley, A. P. Rouillard, Stephanie L. Yardley, Gabriel Ho Hin Suen, T. S. Horbury, Yeimy J. Rivera, Jim M. Raines, L. M. Kistler, Christopher John Owen, S. Livi, Chuanpeng Hou, Georgios Nicolaou, Daniel Verscharen, Rossana De Marco, S. T. Lepri, Antoinette B. Galvin, R. M. Dewey, Jiansen He, Charalambos Ioannou, Benjamin Alterman
article en

Abstract

Abstract The Sun continuously releases a stream of charged particles known as the solar wind, threaded by magnetic field lines that occasionally fold back on themselves in sharp reversals called magnetic switchbacks. These structures are frequently observed by spacecraft near the Sun, but their formation mechanism remains an open question. Using measurements from Solar Orbiter at 0.55 AU, we report heavy ion observations within a magnetic switchback that provide direct evidence of its solar source. Elevated charge-state ratios of oxygen and carbon, combined with a depletion of helium relative to protons, indicate that the switchback plasma originated from hot, closed coronal loop structures. A semi-empirical coronal model, constrained by electron temperature and density measurements from the Solar Dynamics Observatory, traces the ion signatures to either a coronal hole boundary or loops within the coronal hole, implicating the source mechanism as interchange reconnection, where closed loops reconnect with open magnetic field and eject plasma. The proton velocity and magnetic field fluctuations of the switchback are in accordance with an outward-propagating Alfvén wave. These findings suggest that interchange reconnection and wave or turbulence mechanisms jointly govern switchback origin and propagation, respectively. Most importantly, we show that switchbacks preserve measurable signatures, carrying information about the physical processes that heat the solar atmosphere and accelerate the solar wind.

Nature Astronomy
Openalex Percentile: Top 13%
Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.