Properties of Magnetic Switchbacks in the Near-Sun Solar Wind
Issued Date
2026-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
00386308
eISSN
15729672
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105029012014
Journal Title
Space Science Reviews
Volume
222
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Space Science Reviews Vol.222 No.1 (2026)
Suggested Citation
Badman S.T., Fargette N., Matteini L., Agapitov O.V., Akhavan-Tafti M., Bale S.D., Bharati Das S., Bizien N., Bowen T.A., Dudok de Wit T., Froment C., Horbury T., Huang J., Jagarlamudi V.K., Larosa A., Madjarska M.S., Panasenco O., Pariat E., Raouafi N.E., Rouillard A.P., Ruffolo D., Sioulas N., Soni S.L., Sorriso-Valvo L., Suen G.H.H., Velli M., Verniero J. Properties of Magnetic Switchbacks in the Near-Sun Solar Wind. Space Science Reviews Vol.222 No.1 (2026). doi:10.1007/s11214-026-01267-w Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/114871
Title
Properties of Magnetic Switchbacks in the Near-Sun Solar Wind
Author(s)
Badman S.T.
Fargette N.
Matteini L.
Agapitov O.V.
Akhavan-Tafti M.
Bale S.D.
Bharati Das S.
Bizien N.
Bowen T.A.
Dudok de Wit T.
Froment C.
Horbury T.
Huang J.
Jagarlamudi V.K.
Larosa A.
Madjarska M.S.
Panasenco O.
Pariat E.
Raouafi N.E.
Rouillard A.P.
Ruffolo D.
Sioulas N.
Soni S.L.
Sorriso-Valvo L.
Suen G.H.H.
Velli M.
Verniero J.
Fargette N.
Matteini L.
Agapitov O.V.
Akhavan-Tafti M.
Bale S.D.
Bharati Das S.
Bizien N.
Bowen T.A.
Dudok de Wit T.
Froment C.
Horbury T.
Huang J.
Jagarlamudi V.K.
Larosa A.
Madjarska M.S.
Panasenco O.
Pariat E.
Raouafi N.E.
Rouillard A.P.
Ruffolo D.
Sioulas N.
Soni S.L.
Sorriso-Valvo L.
Suen G.H.H.
Velli M.
Verniero J.
Author's Affiliation
Imperial College London
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
Sorbonne Université
University of Iowa
The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
Queen Mary University of London
Michigan Engineering
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
Université d'Orléans
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Instituto Astrofisico de Canarias
Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP)
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP) at UCLA
Space Sciences Laboratory
Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research
Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam
UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory
Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute
Space Research and Technology Institute
International Space Science Institute
Advanced Heliophysics
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
Sorbonne Université
University of Iowa
The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
Queen Mary University of London
Michigan Engineering
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
Université d'Orléans
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Instituto Astrofisico de Canarias
Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP)
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP) at UCLA
Space Sciences Laboratory
Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research
Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam
UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory
Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute
Space Research and Technology Institute
International Space Science Institute
Advanced Heliophysics
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Magnetic switchbacks are fluctuations in the solar wind in which the interplanetary magnetic field sharply deflects away from its background direction so as to create folds in magnetic field lines while remaining of roughly constant magnitude. The magnetic field and velocity fluctuations are extremely well correlated in a way corresponding to Alfvénic fluctuations propagating away from the Sun. For a background field which is nearly radial this causes an outwardly propagating jet to form. Switchbacks and their characteristic velocity jets have recently been observed to be nearly ubiquitous by Parker Solar Probe with in situ measurements in the inner heliosphere within 0.3 AU. Their prevalence, substantial energy content, and potentially fundamental role in the dynamics of the outer corona and solar wind motivate the significant research efforts into their understanding. Here we review the in situ measurements of these structures (primarily by Parker Solar Probe). We discuss how they are identified and measured, and present an overview of the primary observational properties of these structures, both in terms of individual switchbacks and their collective arrangement into “patches”. We identify both properties for which there is a strong consensus and those that have limited or qualified support and require further investigation. We identify and collate several open questions and recommendations for future studies.