Plasma Physics
Magnetic reconnection
Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process in plasma physics in which magnetic field lines change connectivity, rapidly converting stored magnetic energy into plasma kinetic energy, heating, and particle acceleration. It operates in the Sun’s corona, Earth’s magnetosphere, the solar wind, astrophysical systems, and laboratory devices, and is central to phenomena such as solar flares, geomagnetic substorms, and disruptions in fusion experiments.
Solar wind
The solar wind is a continuous outflow of ionized gas from the Sun’s corona that permeates the Solar System, carrying the Sun’s magnetic field and shaping the heliosphere. It varies between slower and faster streams, interacts with planetary magnetospheres and atmospheres, and drives space weather phenomena such as geomagnetic storms and auroras.