Institute for Space Weather Sciences

Title: Small-scale Magnetic Flux Ropes from the Parker Solar Probe In-situ Measurements

Abstract: Parker Solar Probe (PSP) has returned unprecedented measurements of the space plasmas at the closest distances to the Sun. Among them, one type of structures of a distinct set of observational signatures, namely, the magnetic flux ropes of variable scale sizes, was identified and examined. We report our findings for these relatively small-scale flux ropes (SFRs) with duration typically < 1 hour, based on a unique approach as applied to the first four encounters of PSP at close heliocentric distances. We discuss the implications for their possible origins.