Solar Orbiter Reveals a Hidden Complexity in the Sun’s Magnetic Boundary

Using data from Solar Orbiter, researchers have taken a closer look than ever before at the heliospheric current sheet, a vast magnetic boundary surrounding the Sun.

They discovered that changes in ion composition closely follow shifts in magnetic polarity, revealing a more complex interaction between the solar corona and solar wind. The findings could improve space weather models and our understanding of how the Sun accelerates charged particles into space.

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