Sazuna/UAT_keywords huggingface dataset:
Parker Solar Probe In Situ Observations of Magnetic Reconnection Exhausts during Encounter 1. Magnetic reconnection in current sheets converts magnetic energy into particle energy. The process may play an important role in the acceleration and heating of the solar wind close to the Sun. Observations from Parker Solar Probe (PSP) provide a new opportunity to study this problem, as it measures the solar wind at unprecedented close distances to the Sun. During the first orbit, PSP encountered a large number of current sheets in the solar wind through perihelion at 35.7 solar radii. We performed a comprehensive survey of these current sheets and found evidence for 21 reconnection exhausts. These exhausts were observed in heliospheric current sheets, coronal mass ejections, and regular solar wind. However, we find that the majority of current sheets encountered around perihelion, where the magnetic field was strongest and plasma β was lowest, were Alfvénic structures associated with bursty radial jets, and these current sheets did not appear to be undergoing local reconnection. We examined conditions around current sheets to address why some current sheets reconnected while others did not. A key difference appears to be the degree of plasma velocity shear across the current sheets: the median velocity shear for the 21 reconnection exhausts was 24% of the Alfvén velocity shear, whereas the median shear across 43 Alfvénic current sheets examined was 71% of the Alfvén velocity shear. This finding could suggest that large, albeit sub-Alfvénic, velocity shears suppress reconnection. An alternative interpretation is that the Alfvénic current sheets are isolated rotational discontinuities that do not undergo local reconnection.

Keywords: Space plasmas, Solar magnetic reconnection, Solar wind, Plasma astrophysics, Alfven waves, Solar magnetic fields
Observations of the 2019 April 4 Solar Energetic Particle Event at the Parker Solar Probe. A solar energetic particle event was detected by the Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (IS⊙IS) instrument suite on Parker Solar Probe (PSP) on 2019 April 4 when the spacecraft was inside of 0.17 au and less than 1 day before its second perihelion, providing an opportunity to study solar particle acceleration and transport unprecedentedly close to the source. The event was very small, with peak 1 MeV proton intensities of ∼0.3 particles (cm2 sr s MeV)-1, and was undetectable above background levels at energies above 10 MeV or in particle detectors at 1 au. It was strongly anisotropic, with intensities flowing outward from the Sun up to 30 times greater than those flowing inward persisting throughout the event. Temporal association between particle increases and small brightness surges in the extreme-ultraviolet observed by the Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory, which were also accompanied by type III radio emission seen by the Electromagnetic Fields Investigation on PSP, indicates that the source of this event was an active region nearly 80° east of the nominal PSP magnetic footpoint. This suggests that the field lines expanded over a wide longitudinal range between the active region in the photosphere and the corona.

Keywords: Solar energetic particles, The Sun
Solar Wind Streams and Stream Interaction Regions Observed by the Parker Solar Probe with Corresponding Observations at 1 au. Several fast solar wind streams and stream interaction regions (SIRs) were observed by the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) during its first orbit (2018 September-2019 January). During this time, several recurring SIRs were also seen at 1 au at both L1 (Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) and Wind) and the location of the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory-Ahead (STEREO-A). In this paper, we compare four fast streams observed by PSP at different radial distances during its first orbit. For three of these fast stream events, measurements from L1 (ACE and Wind) and STEREO-A indicated that the fast streams were observed by both PSP and at least one of the 1 au monitors. Our associations are supported by simulations made by the ENLIL model driven by GONG-(ADAPT-)WSA, which allows us to contextualize the inner heliospheric conditions during the first orbit of PSP. Additionally, we determine which of these fast streams are associated with an SIR and characterize the SIR properties for these events. From these comparisons, we find that the compression region associated with the fast-speed streams overtaking the preceding solar wind can form at various radial distances from the Sun in the inner heliosphere inside 0.5 au, with the suprathermal ion population (energies between 30 and 586 keV) observed as isolated enhancements suggesting localized acceleration near the SIR stream interface at ∼0.3 au, which is unlike those seen at 1 au, where the suprathermal enhancements extend throughout and behind the SIR. This suprathermal enhancement extends further into the fast stream with increasing distance from the Sun.

Keywords: Interplanetary particle acceleration, Heliosphere, Fast solar wind
Relating Streamer Flows to Density and Magnetic Structures at the Parker Solar Probe. The physical mechanisms that produce the slow solar wind are still highly debated. Parker Solar Probe's (PSP's) second solar encounter provided a new opportunity to relate in situ measurements of the nascent slow solar wind with white-light images of streamer flows. We exploit data taken by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, the Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO), and the Wide Imager on Solar Probe to reveal for the first time a close link between imaged streamer flows and the high-density plasma measured by the Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) experiment. We identify different types of slow winds measured by PSP that we relate to the spacecraft's magnetic connectivity (or not) to streamer flows. SWEAP measured high-density and highly variable plasma when PSP was well connected to streamers but more tenuous wind with much weaker density variations when it exited streamer flows. STEREO imaging of the release and propagation of small transients from the Sun to PSP reveals that the spacecraft was continually impacted by the southern edge of streamer transients. The impact of specific density structures is marked by a higher occurrence of magnetic field reversals measured by the FIELDS magnetometers. Magnetic reversals are associated with much stronger density variations inside than outside streamer flows. We tentatively interpret these findings in terms of magnetic reconnection between open magnetic fields and coronal loops with different properties, providing support for the formation of a subset of the slow wind by magnetic reconnection.

Keywords: Slow solar wind, Solar coronal transients, Solar coronal streamers
Turbulence Transport Modeling and First Orbit Parker Solar Probe (PSP) Observations. The Parker Solar Probe (PSP) achieved its first orbit perihelion on 2018 November 6, reaching a heliocentric distance of about 0.165 au (35.55 R⊙). Here, we study the evolution of fully developed turbulence associated with the slow solar wind along the PSP trajectory between 35.55 R⊙ and 131.64 R⊙ in the outbound direction, comparing observations to a theoretical turbulence transport model. Several turbulent quantities, such as the fluctuating kinetic energy and the corresponding correlation length, the variance of density fluctuations, and the solar wind proton temperature are determined from the PSP Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) plasma data along its trajectory between 35.55 R⊙ and 131.64 R⊙. The evolution of the PSP derived turbulent quantities are compared to the numerical solutions of the nearly incompressible magnetohydrodynamic (NI MHD) turbulence transport model recently developed by Zank et al. We find reasonable agreement between the theoretical and observed results. On the basis of these comparisons, we derive other theoretical turbulent quantities, such as the energy in forward and backward propagating modes, the total turbulent energy, the normalized residual energy and cross-helicity, the fluctuating magnetic energy, and the correlation lengths corresponding to forward and backward propagating modes, the residual energy, and the fluctuating magnetic energy.

Keywords: Interplanetary turbulence, Solar wind, Slow solar wind
Switchbacks in the Near-Sun Magnetic Field: Long Memory and Impact on the Turbulence Cascade. One of the most striking observations made by Parker Solar Probe during its first solar encounter is the omnipresence of rapid polarity reversals in a magnetic field that is otherwise mostly radial. These so-called switchbacks strongly affect the dynamics of the magnetic field. We concentrate here on their macroscopic properties. First, we find that these structures are self-similar, and have neither a characteristic magnitude, nor a characteristic duration. Their waiting time statistics show evidence of aggregation. The associated long memory resides in their occurrence rate, and is not inherent to the background fluctuations. Interestingly, the spectral properties of inertial range turbulence differ inside and outside of switchback structures; in the latter the 1/f range extends to higher frequencies. These results suggest that outside of these structures we are in the presence of lower-amplitude fluctuations with a shorter turbulent inertial range. We conjecture that these correspond to a pristine solar wind.

Keywords: Interplanetary turbulence, Solar wind, Interplanetary magnetic fields
Predicting the Solar Wind at the Parker Solar Probe Using an Empirically Driven MHD Model. Since its launch on 2018 August 12, Parker Solar Probe (PSP) has completed its first and second orbits around the Sun, having reached down to 35.7 solar radii at each perihelion. In anticipation of the exciting new data at such unprecedented distances, we have simulated the global 3D heliosphere using an MHD model coupled with a semi-empirical coronal model using the best available photospheric magnetograms as input. We compare our heliospheric MHD simulation results with in situ measurements along the PSP trajectory from its launch to the completion of the second orbit, with particular emphasis on the solar wind structure around the first two solar encounters. Furthermore, we show our model prediction for the third perihelion, which occurred on 2019 September 1. Comparison of the MHD results with PSP observations provides new insights into solar wind acceleration. Moreover, PSP observations reveal how accurately the Air Force Data Assimilative Photospheric flux Transport-Wang-Sheeley-Arge-based predictions work throughout the inner heliosphere.

Keywords: Solar wind, Interplanetary physics, Heliosphere, Magnetohydrodynamical simulations
Energetic Particle Observations from the Parker Solar Probe Using Combined Energy Spectra from the IS⊙IS Instrument Suite. The Integrated Science Investigations of the Sun (IS⊙IS) instrument suite includes two Energetic Particle instruments: EPI-Hi, designed to measure ions from ∼1 to 200 MeV nuc-1, and EPI-Lo, designed to measure ions from ∼20 to ∼15 MeV nuc-1. We present an analysis of eight energetic proton events observed across the energy range of both instruments during Parker Solar Probe's (PSP) first two orbits in order to examine their combined energy spectra. Background corrections are applied to help resolve spectral breaks between the two instruments and are shown to be effective. In doing so we demonstrate that even in the early stages of calibration, IS⊙IS is capable of producing reliable spectral observations across broad energy ranges. In addition to making groundbreaking measurements very near the Sun, IS⊙IS also characterizes energetic particle populations over a range of heliocentric distances inside 1 au. During the first two orbits, IS⊙IS observed energetic particle events from a single corotating interaction region (CIR) at three different distances from the Sun. The events are separated by two Carrington rotations and just 0.11 au in distance; however, the relationship shown between proton intensities and proximity of the spacecraft to the source region shows evidence of the importance of transport effects on observations of energetic particles from CIRs. Future IS⊙IS observations of similar events over larger distances will help disentangle the effects of CIR-related acceleration and transport. We apply similar spectral analyses to the remaining five events, including four that are likely related to stream interaction regions (SIRs) and one solar energetic particle (SEP) event.

Keywords: Interplanetary shocks, Solar energetic particles, Interplanetary particle acceleration, Corotating streams, Interplanetary physics
<SUP>3</SUP>He-rich Solar Energetic Particle Observations at the Parker Solar Probe and near Earth. The Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (IS⊙IS) instrument suite on the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) spacecraft is making in situ observations of energetic ions and electrons closer to the Sun than any previous mission. Using data collected during its first two orbits, which reached perihelion distances of 0.17 au, we have searched for ${}^{3}\mathrm{He}$ -rich solar energetic particle (SEP) events under very quiet solar minimum conditions. On 2019-110-111 (April 20-21), ${}^{3}\mathrm{He}$ -rich SEPs were observed at energies near 1 MeV nucleon-1 in association with energetic protons, heavy ions, and electrons. This activity was also detected by the Ultra-Low-Energy Isotope Spectrometer and the Electron, Proton, and Alpha Monitor instruments on the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft located near Earth, 0.99 au from the Sun. At that time, PSP and ACE were both magnetically connected to locations near the west limb of the Sun. Remote sensing measurements showed the presence of type III radio bursts and also helical jets from this region of the Sun. This combination of observations is commonly associated with ${}^{3}\mathrm{He}$ -rich SEP acceleration on the Sun. AR 12738, which was located at Carrington coordinates from which numerous X-ray flares were observed over a period of more than 6 months, was identified as the source of the ${}^{3}\mathrm{He}$ -rich events. This region was also the source of several other SEP events detected at PSP or ACE. Aside from the period in 2019 April, IS⊙IS did not observe any other ${}^{3}\mathrm{He}$ -rich SEPs during orbits 1 and 2.

Keywords: Solar energetic particles, Solar activity, Solar x-ray flares
The Solar Probe Cup on the Parker Solar Probe. Solar Probe Cup (SPC) is a Faraday cup instrument on board NASA's Parker Solar Probe (PSP) spacecraft designed to make rapid measurements of thermal coronal and solar wind plasma. The spacecraft is in a heliocentric orbit that takes it closer to the Sun than any previous spacecraft, allowing measurements to be made where the coronal and solar wind plasma is being heated and accelerated. The SPC instrument was designed to be pointed directly at the Sun at all times, allowing the solar wind (which is flowing primarily radially away from the Sun) to be measured throughout the orbit. The instrument is capable of measuring solar wind ions with an energy between 100 and 6000 V (protons with speeds from 139 to 1072 km s-1). It also measures electrons with an energy/charge between 100 and 1500 V. SPC has been designed to have a wide dynamic range that is capable of measuring protons and alpha particles at the closest perihelion (9.86 solar radii from the center of the Sun) and out to 0.25 au. Initial observations from the first orbit of PSP indicate that the instrument is functioning well.

Keywords: Space vehicle instruments, Space plasmas, Solar wind, Solar corona, Solar instruments
First In Situ Measurements of Electron Density and Temperature from Quasi-thermal Noise Spectroscopy with Parker Solar Probe/FIELDS. Heat transport in the solar corona and wind is still a major unsolved astrophysical problem. Because of the key role played by electrons, the electron density and temperature(s) are important prerequisites for understanding these plasmas. We present such in situ measurements along the two first solar encounters of the Parker Solar Probe, between 0.5 and 0.17 au from the Sun, revealing different states of the emerging solar wind near the solar activity minimum. These preliminary results are obtained from a simplified analysis of the plasma quasi-thermal noise (QTN) spectrum measured by the Radio Frequency Spectrometer (FIELDS). The local electron density is deduced from the tracking of the plasma line, which enables accurate measurements, independent of calibrations and spacecraft perturbations, whereas the temperatures of the thermal and suprathermal components of the velocity distribution, as well as the average kinetic temperature, are deduced from the shape of the plasma line. The temperature of the weakly collisional thermal population, similar for both encounters, decreases with the distance as R -0.74, which is much slower than adiabatic. In contrast, the temperature of the nearly collisionless suprathermal population exhibits a virtually flat radial variation. The 7 s resolution of the density measurements enables us to deduce the low-frequency spectrum of compressive fluctuations around perihelion, varying as f -1.4. This is the first time that QTN spectroscopy is implemented with an electric antenna length not exceeding the plasma Debye length. As PSP will approach the Sun, the decrease in the Debye length is expected to considerably improve the accuracy of the temperature measurements.

Keywords: Radio spectroscopy, Space plasmas, Space vehicle instruments, Space probes, Solar wind, Plasma astrophysics
Sharp Alfvénic Impulses in the Near-Sun Solar Wind. Measurements of the near-Sun solar wind by the Parker Solar Probe have revealed the presence of large numbers of discrete Alfvénic impulses with an anti-sunward sense of propagation. These are similar to those previously observed near 1 au, in high speed streams over the Sun's poles and at 60 solar radii. At 35 solar radii, however, they are typically shorter and sharper than seen elsewhere. In addition, these spikes occur in "patches" and there are also clear periods within the same stream when they do not occur; the timescale of these patches might be related to the rate at which the spacecraft magnetic footpoint tracks across the coronal hole from which the plasma originated. While the velocity fluctuations associated with these spikes are typically under 100 km s-1, due to the rather low Alfvén speeds in the streams observed by the spacecraft to date, these are still associated with large angular deflections of the magnetic field—and these deflections are not isotropic. These deflections do not appear to be related to the recently reported large-scale, pro-rotation solar wind flow. Estimates of the size and shape of the spikes reveal high aspect ratio flow-aligned structures with a transverse scale of ≈104 km. These events might be signatures of near-Sun impulsive reconnection events.

Keywords: Space plasmas, Solar wind, Solar corona
Observations of Heating along Intermittent Structures in the Inner Heliosphere from PSP Data. The solar wind proton temperature at 1 au has been found to be correlated with small-scale intermittent magnetic structures, I.e., regions with enhanced temperature are associated with coherent structures, such as current sheets. Using Parker Solar Probe data from the first encounter, we study this association using measurements of the radial proton temperature, employing the partial variance of increments (PVI) technique to identify intermittent magnetic structures. We observe that the probability density functions of high PVI events have higher median temperatures than those with lower PVI. The regions in space where PVI peaks were also locations that had enhanced temperatures when compared with similar regions, suggesting a heating mechanism in the young solar wind that is associated with intermittency developed by a nonlinear turbulent cascade in the immediate vicinity.

Keywords: Solar coronal heating, Solar wind, Heliosphere
The Heliospheric Current Sheet in the Inner Heliosphere Observed by the Parker Solar Probe. The Parker Solar Probe (PSP) completed its first solar encounter in 2018 November, bringing it closer to the Sun than any previous mission. This allowed in situ investigation of the heliospheric current sheet (HCS) inside the orbit of Venus. The Parker observations reveal a well defined magnetic sector structure placing the spacecraft in a negative polarity region for most of the encounter. The observed current sheet crossings are compared to the predictions of both potential field source surface and magnetohydrodynamic models. All the model predictions are in good qualitative agreement with the observed crossings of the HCS. The models also generally agree that the HCS was nearly parallel with the solar equator during the inbound leg of the encounter and more significantly inclined during the outbound portion. The current sheet crossings at PSP are also compared to similar measurements made by the Wind spacecraft near Earth at 1 au. After allowing for orbital geometry and propagation effects, a remarkable agreement has been found between the observations of these two spacecraft underlying the large-scale stability of the HCS. Finally, the detailed magnetic field and plasma structure of each crossing is analyzed. Marked differences were observed between PSP and Wind measurements in the type of structures found near the HCS. This suggests that significant evolution of these small solar wind structures takes place before they reach 1 au.

Keywords: Quiet sun, Solar wind, Heliosphere
Enhanced Energy Transfer Rate in Solar Wind Turbulence Observed near the Sun from Parker Solar Probe. Direct evidence of an inertial-range turbulent energy cascade has been provided by spacecraft observations in heliospheric plasmas. In the solar wind, the average value of the derived heating rate near 1 au is $\sim {10}^{3}\,{\rm{J}}\,{\mathrm{kg}}^{-1}\,{{\rm{s}}}^{-1}$ , an amount sufficient to account for observed departures from adiabatic expansion. Parker Solar Probe, even during its first solar encounter, offers the first opportunity to compute, in a similar fashion, a fluid-scale energy decay rate, much closer to the solar corona than any prior in situ observations. Using the Politano-Pouquet third-order law and the von Kármán decay law, we estimate the fluid-range energy transfer rate in the inner heliosphere, at heliocentric distance R ranging from 54 R☉ (0.25 au) to 36 R☉ (0.17 au). The energy transfer rate obtained near the first perihelion is about 100 times higher than the average value at 1 au, which is in agreement with estimates based on a heliospheric turbulence transport model. This dramatic increase in the heating rate is unprecedented in previous solar wind observations, including those from Helios, and the values are close to those obtained in the shocked plasma inside the terrestrial magnetosheath.

Keywords: Solar wind, Magnetohydrodynamics, Interplanetary shocks