Parker Solar Probe Flies through an Eruption-associated Magnetic Reconnection Current Sheet in the Solar Corona
Parker Solar Probe (PSP) observed the fastest coronal mass ejection (CME) during the rising phase of Solar Cycle 25, on September 5, 2022, during its 13th perihelion. This CME, with a speed of approximately 2500 km/s, ranks among the top 0.15% of extreme-speed events in the CDAW CME catalog. While orbiting at a distance of ~13 solar radii, PSP traversed the CME, its internal structures, and an associated current sheet on September 6. In-situ measurements within the current sheet reveal classic signatures of magnetic reconnection, including magnetic field reversal, elevated plasma temperatures, and particle velocities consistent with theoretical reconnection models. By combining these observations with remote sensing data from Solar Orbiter, we provide compelling evidence for ongoing magnetic reconnection as PSP crossed the current sheet. This event represents the first direct in-situ detection of active reconnection associated with a solar eruption in the corona.
I am a research Scientist at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Boulder. I completed my PhD in Astronomical Instrumentation from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore under a joint program with the University of Calcutta. My key areas of research revolves around the phenomenon of magnetic reconnection at small- and large-scales, exploring the solar middle corona region and white-light polarimetry. I had been involved in India’s first space-based solar mission, Aditya-L1 and now working at SwRI in the Science Operation Center of NASA’s recently launched mission, PUNCH.