What question did this study set out to answer?

Determine the magnetic topology and solar origins of intrasector reversals within the interplanetary magnetic field.

November 1, 1996Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres

The topology of intrasector reversals of the interplanetary magnetic field

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Determine the magnetic topology and solar origins of intrasector reversals within the interplanetary magnetic field.
Analyzed heat flux electron flow directions relative to local magnetic field orientations using the Los Alamos National Laboratory plasma detector aboard the ISEE 3 spacecraft.
Identified intrasector field reversals within well-defined magnetic sectors and classified them based on whether their magnetic polarity matched the surrounding sector.
Approximately half of intrasector field reversals share polarities with the surrounding sector, demonstrating that these magnetic field lines are folded back toward the Sun.
Field reversals with opposite polarities strongly correlate with bidirectional electron flows and show no isolated reverse-polarity fields, indicating an association with closed field lines rather than solar dipole anomalies.
Reversals linked with bidirectional electron flows signify that interplanetary coronal mass ejections are larger and more structurally complex than previously recognized, containing both open and closed magnetic topologies.

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Implication

Observational analysis uncovers magnetic field reversals in the solar wind, indicating that coronal mass ejections contain complex open and closed magnetic structures.

Cite This Study

Kahler et al. (1996) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a8160532bdcf510039cd86b https://doi.org/10.1029/96ja02232

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Implication

Observational analysis uncovers magnetic field reversals in the solar wind, indicating that coronal mass ejections contain complex open and closed magnetic structures.

The topology of intrasector reversals of the interplanetary magnetic field

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Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

The topology of intrasector reversals of the interplanetary magnetic field

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

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