Small-scale magnetic flux ropes via in-situ spacecraft measurements

Authors: Yu Chen (Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, The University of Alabama in Huntsville), Qiang Hu (Department of Space Science & Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, The University of Alabama in Huntsville)

Small-scale magnetic flux ropes (SFRs), characterized by twisted magnetic field lines, have been identified via multiple in-situ spacecraft measurements. By utilizing spacecraft observations from the inner heliosphere within 1 AU to several AUs, characteristics of SFRs, and their radial as well as temporal variations, have been largely studied. In the meanwhile, the occurrence of SFRs has also been investigated together with other solar wind events, such as particle acceleration, stream interaction regions, heliospheric current sheets, magnetic switchbacks, etc. In this work, we summarize the findings using the SFR database built via the automated Grad-Shafranov-based detection algorithm, which includes statistical analyses of SFRs at different distances as well as possible evolution, preliminary results up to PSP encounter 13, etc. Also, we provide the results via the new Python-based GS detection and reconstruction.