The origin of slow Alfvenic solar wind at solar minimum

Although the origins of slow solar wind are unclear, there is increasing evidence that at least some of it is released in a steady state on overexpanded coronal hole magnetic field lines. This type of slow wind has similar properties to the fast solar wind, including strongly Alfvénic fluctuations. In this study, a combination of proton, alpha particle, and electron measurements are used to investigate the kinetic properties of a single interval of slow Alfvénic wind at 0.35 au. It is shown that this slow Alfvénic interval is characterized by high alpha particle abundances, pronounced alpha–proton differential streaming, strong proton beams, and large alpha-to-proton temperature ratios. These are all features observed consistently in the fast solar wind, adding evidence that at least some Alfvénic slow solar wind also originates in coronal holes. Observed differences between speed, mass flux, and electron temperature between slow Alfvénic and fast winds are explained by differing magnetic field geometry in the lower corona

Plasma properties, switchback patches, and low alpha-particle abundance in slow Alfvenic coronal hole wind at 0.13 au

The Parker Solar Probe (PSP) mission presents a unique opportunity to study the near-Sun solar wind closer than any previous spacecraft. During its fourth and fifth solar encounters, PSP had the same orbital trajectory, meaning that solar wind was measured at the same latitudes and radial distances. We identify two streams measured at the same heliocentric distance (∼0.13 au) and latitude (∼–3∘.5⁠) across these encounters to reduce spatial evolution effects. By comparing the plasma of each stream, we confirm that they are not dominated by variable transient events, despite PSP’s proximity to the heliospheric current sheet. Both streams are consistent with a previous slow Alfvénic solar wind study once radial effects are considered, and appear to originate at the Southern polar coronal hole boundary. We also show that the switchback properties are not distinctly different between these two streams. Low α-particle abundance (∼0.6 per cent) is observed in the encounter 5 stream, suggesting that some physical mechanism must act on coronal hole boundary wind to cause α-particle depletion. Possible explanations for our observations are discussed, but it remains unclear whether the depletion occurs during the release or the acceleration of the wind. Using a flux tube argument, we note that an α-particle abundance of ∼0.6 per cent in this low-velocity wind could correspond to an abundance of ∼0.9 per cent at 1 au. Finally, as the two streams roughly correspond to the spatial extent of a switchback patch, we suggest that patches are distinct features of coronal hole wind

Whistler wave occurrence and the interaction with strahl electrons during the first encounter of Parker Solar Probe

Aims. We studied the properties and occurrence of narrowband whistler waves and their interaction with strahl electrons observed between 0.17 and 0.26 au during the first encounter of Parker Solar Probe. Methods. We used Digital Fields Board band-pass filtered (BPF) data from FIELDS to detect the signatures of whistler waves. Additionally parameters derived from the particle distribution functions measured by the Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) instrument suite were used to investigate the plasma properties, and FIELDS suite measurements were used to investigate the electromagnetic (EM) fields properties corresponding to the observed whistler signatures. Results. We observe that the occurrence of whistler waves is low, nearly ~1.5% and less than 0.5% in the analyzed peak and average BPF data, respectively. Whistlers occur highly intermittently and 80% of the whistlers appear continuously for less than 3 s. The spacecraft frequencies of the analyzed waves are less than 0.2 electron cyclotron frequency (fce). The occurrence rate of whistler waves was found to be anticorrelated with the solar wind bulk velocity. The study of the duration of the whistler intervals revealed an anticorrelation between the duration and the solar wind velocity, as well as between the duration and the normalized amplitude of magnetic field variations. The pitch-angle widths (PAWs) of the field-aligned electron population referred to as the strahl are broader by at least 12 degrees during the presence of large amplitude narrowband whistler waves. This observation points toward an EM wave electron interaction, resulting in pitch-angle scattering. PAWs of strahl electrons corresponding to the short duration whistlers are higher compared to the long duration whistlers, indicating short duration whistlers scatter the strahl electrons better than the long duration ones. Parallel cuts through the strahl electron velocity distribution function (VDF) observed during the whistler intervals appear to depart from the Maxwellian shape typically found in the near-Sun strahl VDFs. The relative decrease in the parallel electron temperature and the increase in PAW for the electrons in the strahl energy range suggests that the interaction with whistler waves results in a transfer of electron momentum from the parallel to the perpendicular direction

Parker solar probe: four years of discoveries at solar cycle minimum

Launched on 12 Aug. 2018, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe had completed 13 of its scheduled 24 orbits around the Sun by Nov. 2022. The mission’s primary science goal is to determine the structure and dynamics of the Sun’s coronal magnetic field, understand how the solar corona and wind are heated and accelerated, and determine what processes accelerate energetic particles. Parker Solar Probe returned a treasure trove of science data that far exceeded quality, significance, and quantity expectations, leading to a significant number of discoveries reported in nearly 700 peer-reviewed publications. The first four years of the 7-year primary mission duration have been mostly during solar minimum conditions with few major solar events. Starting with orbit 8 (i.e., 28 Apr. 2021), Parker flew through the magnetically dominated corona, i.e., sub-Alfvénic solar wind, which is one of the mission’s primary objectives. In this paper, we present an overview of the scientific advances made mainly during the first four years of the Parker Solar Probe mission, which go well beyond the three science objectives that are: (1) Trace the flow of energy that heats and accelerates the solar corona and solar wind; (2) Determine the structure and dynamics of the plasma and magnetic fields at the sources of the solar wind; and (3) Explore mechanisms that accelerate and transport energetic particles

Solar Orbiter observations of the structure of reconnection outflow layers in the solar wind

We briefly review an existing model of the structure of reconnection layers which predicts that several more distinct layers, in the form of contact discontinuities, rotational Alfvèn waves, or slow shocks, should be identifiable in solar wind reconnection events than are typically reported in studies of reconnection outflows associated with bifurcated current sheets. We re-examine this notion and recast the identification of such layers in terms of the changes associated with the boundaries of both the ion and electron outflows from the reconnection current layers. We then present a case study using Solar Orbiter MAG and SWA data, which provides evidence consistent with this picture of extended multiple layers around the bifurcated current sheet. A full confirmation of this picture requires more detailed examination of the particle distributions in this and other events. However, we believe this concept is a valuable framework for considering the nature of reconnection layers in the solar wind

Whistler waves in the inner heliosphere from 0.3 to 1 AU

International audienceThe Helios mission (1974-1986), which aimed at probing the inner Heliosphere, provides an unique opportunity to study in-situ wave characteristics in solar wind as close as 0.3 AU. Using the search-coil magnetometer, which measures AC magnetic field spectra between 7 Hz and 680 Hz, we find that some of these spectra reveal bursty wave packets at a fraction of local electron cyclotron frequency, which we identify as whistler waves. For the first time we show the presence of narrow band whistler waves in inner heliosphere from 0.3 to 1 AU. We have studied the radial evolution of observed whistlers for different physical parameters such as solar wind type and features of associated electron distribution functions. We find that most of the whistlers are observed in the slow (600 km/s) solar wind up to distances at about 0.8 AU, increasing at larger radial distances. This observed radial behavior seems to be related to the radial dependence of temperature anisotropy of halo, which determines the whistler temperature anisotropy instability (WTA) condition. We find evidence for WTA as a possible source of whistler generation in solar wind. These results allow us to anticipate what Parker Solar Probe will observe