Scientists Map Sun's Hidden Magnetic Boundary for First Time

• Scientists have successfully mapped the Sun's outer boundary, the Alfvén surface, for the first time, revealing where solar wind escapes magnetic control.
• NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, along with Solar Orbiter and Earth-based instruments, provided crucial data for this historic discovery.
• The Alfvén surface is not a smooth sphere but a jagged, unpredictable boundary that expands and contracts with solar activity.
• This breakthrough improves space weather forecasting, protecting satellites, navigation systems, and power grids from strong solar storms.
• The discovery reshapes understanding of stellar behavior, planetary habitability, and reveals the Sun as more dynamic and complex.

Why It Matters: First-ever map of Sun's magnetic boundary reveals dynamic nature, crucial for space weather.