NASA's Parker Solar Probe has confirmed the existence of the 'helicity barrier' in the solar wind, a phenomenon influencing the Sun's atmospheric heating and solar wind acceleration. This discovery, published on July 8, 2025, provides crucial insights into solar dynamics.
The solar atmosphere, or corona, is hotter than the Sun's surface, and the solar wind is accelerated to supersonic speeds. Turbulent dissipation is believed to play a key role in both of these phenomena. However, the exact mechanisms have remained unclear.
Researchers observed the 'helicity barrier' in action using data from the Parker Solar Probe. This barrier impedes energy cascade, altering how fluctuations dissipate and thereby heating the plasma. The study indicates that the helicity barrier is active and significantly influences turbulent dissipation in the solar wind.