A remarkable phenomenon has been documented by the European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter, revealing a spectacular twisting streamer of plasma that escaped the sun after a coronal mass ejection (CME). This event holds the potential to unlock some of the sun's most perplexing mysteries, particularly how the magnetic energy that fuels the solar wind and massive solar eruptions is released.

On October 12, 2022, Solar Orbiter captured this mesmerizing helical streamer, which stretched up to an astonishing 2 million kilometers (1.3 million miles) in length. This twisting structure transported plasma and magnetic energy away from the sun, providing a unique opportunity for scientists to observe solar dynamics in unprecedented detail.

Using its advanced Metis instrument, Solar Orbiter was able to block out the intense glare of the sun's surface, allowing researchers to focus on the faint and ethereal solar corona. This halo of plasma is typically visible from Earth during a total solar eclipse and is known to be populated with intricate streamers and other structures.

While helical formations in the solar corona have been previously documented, none have been seen in such clarity or sustained for an extended period. The detailed observations of this streamer are crucial for solar physicists to understand the underlying mechanisms driving the solar wind and CMEs.

A research team led by Paolo Romano at Italy's Astrophysical Observatory of Catania is closely studying this twisting streamer, tracing its origins back to the lower corona. Their findings suggest a fascinating picture: At the base of the corona, magnetic energy builds up in tightly-bound magnetic field lines. The corona contains numerous 'holes,' likened to Swiss cheese, where these magnetic lines open up, extending far into space instead of returning to the sun's surface.

The solar wind emerges from these coronal holes, and a phenomenon called interchange reconnection occurs, where the magnetic field lines break and reconnect, releasing significant energy. This process can trigger powerful solar flares and explosive events, leading to CMEs.

Additionally, smaller-scale interchange reconnection fuels a steady influx of jets that inject energy into the corona, contributing to the magnetic waves known as Alfvén waves. These waves help transport plasma through coronal holes, propelling particles into the solar wind.

The significance of the twisting streamer lies in its relation to the magnetic structure of the plasma escaping during a massive interchange reconnection. Scientists believe this structure resembles a "twisted flux rope," a tube of magnetic energy stranded within a solar filament — a channel of plasma maintained by closed magnetic fields. Interchange reconnection releases the energy needed for CMEs, allowing jets to break free and push plasma into space.

Solar Orbiter provided a front-row seat to witness this flux tube's behavior following a powerful reconnection event that launched a giant CME. Observational data show that as the twisted flux tube ascends, its inclination decreases, causing the magnetic field lines to align more closely with the sun’s radial lines.

Intriguingly, researchers speculate that the magnetic disturbances traveling through the streamer may be responsible for creating "magnetic switchbacks," where the solar wind's magnetic field direction abruptly reverses. This zig-zag pattern has been confirmed by observations from both Solar Orbiter and NASA’s Parker Solar Probe.

For decades, the sun has guarded its secrets, including the puzzling heating of the solar corona to temperatures exceeding one million degrees Celsius and the source of energy driving the solar wind and CMEs. However, as Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe venture closer to the sun, we are finally beginning to unravel the enigmas at the heart of our solar system. Stay tuned as we continue to discover more about our dynamic star!