Sun's closest-ever images captured by Parker Solar Probe during groundbreaking voyage
The Parker Solar Probe, a groundbreaking spacecraft launched in 2018, has been shedding light on the enigmatic world of solar wind. Equipped with advanced scientific instrumentation, the probe has been providing invaluable insights into the behaviour of this constant stream of charged particles released by the sun's outer atmosphere.
In its latest findings, NASA's Parker Solar Probe has confirmed the existence of two types of slow solar wind. These are the Alfvénic slow solar wind, characterized by small-scale magnetic field switchbacks, and the non-Alfvénic slow solar wind, which lacks these magnetic variations.
Alfvénic slow solar wind is believed to originate from cooler regions in the Sun’s corona, known as coronal holes. On the other hand, non-Alfvénic slow solar wind is thought to arise from helmet streamer loops, large magnetic loops connecting active regions where particles can heat enough to escape.
The Parker Solar Probe's close approaches to the Sun have provided critical data that has enabled these conclusions. One of the key discoveries made by the probe was the presence of zigzagging magnetic fields called switchbacks at distances of 14.7 million miles (23.6 million km) from the sun's surface. These switchbacks are believed to originate from magnetic funnels created by visible patches on the sun's exterior.
The fast solar wind, which travels at up to 800 kilometres per second, creating a relatively uniform torrent of matter, has also been a focus of the Parker Solar Probe's research. In 2024, scientists declared that the fast solar wind is partially powered by the phenomenon of magnetic funnels created by visible patches on the sun's exterior.
The Parker Solar Probe's data has also revealed that solar winds have additional turbulence in the form of these switchbacks. This turbulence can lead to unpredictable collisions between unpredictable bubbles of plasma and magnetic fields called coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
Understanding and predicting the solar wind is vital to protecting astronauts, spacecrafts, and minimizing disruptions to infrastructure caused by strong solar activity. The Parker Solar Probe's discoveries are a significant step towards achieving this goal.
As the Parker Solar Probe continues its orbits closer to the Sun, it is expected to next pass its perihelion - the closest point to the sun’s surface - on the 15th of September. The probe will continue to collect data, helping scientists to further unravel the mysteries of the solar wind.
References: [1] https://www.nasa.gov/feature/parker-solar-probe-reveals-new-insights-into-solar-wind-turbulence [2] https://www.nasa.gov/feature/parker-solar-probe-reveals-new-insights-into-solar-wind-origins [3] https://www.nasa.gov/feature/parker-solar-probe-reveals-new-insights-into-solar-wind-turbulence-and-origins
- The latest research from NASA's Parker Solar Probe further highlights the probe's significant contribution to the health-and-wellness sector, as its findings about the solar wind can provide crucial knowledge to protect astronauts and spacecrafts in the future.
- In the realm of science, the study of space-and-astronomy has taken a step forward with the Parker Solar Probe, which has been instrumental in confirming the existence of two types of slow solar wind and providing valuable insights into solar wind behavior, contributing to the expanding body of knowledge about this subject.
