In 2022, a Sun-observing probe flew through an S-shaped stream of charged particles pouring out of the star. These mysterious kinks, known as a switchback, can help scientists better understand what fuels dangerous solar storms—but their origin has remained a mystery. Now, by fingerprinting the particles that make up this stream, the Solar Orbiter spacecraft was able to pinpoint where it came from.

In a new paper published in Nature Astronomy, a team of scientists identified the source of the switchback to the Sun’s surface, revealing the intricate mechanics of the star’s magnetic field in unprecedented detail. The finding reveals how the Sun heats its atmosphere and accelerates solar wind particles out into space, helping scientists better predict extreme space weather events that have an impact on Earth.

The Sun’s magnetic field is one of the most important—and surprisingly mysterious—forces shaping our solar system. It helps drive solar flares, launch enormous eruptions of plasma into space, and influence the streams of charged particles flowing away from the Sun. These streams of charged particles can twist, snap, or fold back on themselves on their journey through the Solar System.

A magnetic switchback is a sudden, dramatic bend in the Sun’s magnetic field that can make it appear to briefly fold back on itself as it travels through space with the solar wind. By watching the Sun up close, the Solar Orbiter spacecraft spotted one such switchback.

The observations first confirmed that the switchback is shaped like an S, something that had not been directly seen until then.

Source link