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Aiming at the goal of preparing high-quality coatings, this paper reviews the progress on circular arc source structure and magnetic field arc controlling technology in arc ion plating (AIP), with a focus on design characteristics of the different structures and configuration optimization of the corresponding magnetic fields. The circular arc source, due to its simple structure, convenient installation, flexible target combination, high cooling efficiency, and high ionization rate and deposition rate, has shown significant application potential in AIP technology. In terms of magnetic field arc controlling technology, this paper delves into the design progress of various magnetic field configurations, including fixed magnetic fields generated by permanent magnets, dynamic rotating magnetic fields, axially symmetric magnetic fields, rotating transverse magnetic fields, and multi-mode alternating electromagnetic coupling fields. By designing the magnetic field distribution reasonably, the trajectory and velocity of the arc spot can be controlled precisely, thus reducing the generation of macroparticles, improving target utilization, and enhancing coating uniformity. In particular, the introduction of multi-mode magnetic field coupling technology has broken through the limitations of traditional single magnetic field structures, achieving comprehensive optimization of arc spot motion and plasma transport. Hopefully, these research advances provide an important theoretical basis and technical support for the application of AIP technology in the preparation for high-quality decorative and functional coatings.

This paper presents the results of a study of the influence of various sources of magnetic field on the size of droplets formed in microfluidic flows. Direct and reverse emulsions in a microfluidic flow focusing were obtained using magnetic fluids based on oil and water which are a continuous phase. Non-magnetic inclusions of various volumes were formed depending on the selected parameters: continuous phase flow rate, magnetic field configuration, and the position of the magnet relative to the axis of the device.

We present the first data release of the Far-Infrared Polarimetric Large Area CMZ Exploration (FIREPLACE) survey. The survey was taken using the 214 μm band of the HAWC+ instrument with the SOFIA telescope (19.″6 resolution; 0.7 pc). In this first data release we present dust polarization observations covering a ∼0.°5 region of the Galactic center’s central molecular zone (CMZ), approximately centered on the Sgr B2 complex. We detect ∼25,000 Nyquist-sampled polarization pseudovectors, after applying the standard SOFIA cuts for minimum signal-to-noise ratios in fractional polarization and total intensity of three and 200, respectively. Analysis of the magnetic field orientation suggests a bimodal distribution in the field direction. This bimodal distribution shows enhancements in the distribution of field directions for orientations parallel and perpendicular to the Galactic plane, which are suggestive of a CMZ magnetic field configuration with polodial and torodial components. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of individual clouds included in our survey (i.e., Sgr B2, Sgr B2-NW, Sgr B2-Halo, Sgr B1, and Cloud E/F) shows they have fractional polarization values of 1%–10% at 214 μm, with most of the emission having values <5%. A few of these clouds (i.e., Sgr B2 and Cloud E/F) show relatively low fractional polarization values toward their cores and higher fractional polarization values toward their less dense peripheries. We also observe higher fractional polarization toward compact H ii regions, which could indicate an enhancement in the grain alignment in the dust surrounding these sources.

A clear understanding of the nature of the pre-eruptive magnetic field configurations of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) is required for understanding and eventually predicting solar eruptions. Only two, but seemingly disparate, magnetic configurations are considered viable; namely, sheared magnetic arcades (SMA) and magnetic flux ropes (MFR). They can form via three physical mechanisms (flux emergence, flux cancellation, helicity condensation). Whether the CME culprit is an SMA or an MFR, however, has been strongly debated for thirty years. We formed an International Space Science Institute (ISSI) team to address and resolve this issue and report the outcome here. We review the status of the field across modeling and observations, identify the open and closed issues, compile lists of SMA and MFR observables to be tested against observations and outline research activities to close the gaps in our current understanding. We propose that the combination of multi-viewpoint multi-thermal coronal observations and multi-height vector magnetic field measurements is the optimal approach for resolving the issue conclusively. We demonstrate the approach using MHD simulations and synthetic coronal images. Our key conclusion is that the differentiation of pre-eruptive configurations in terms of SMAs and MFRs seems artificial. Both observations and modeling can be made consistent if the pre-eruptive configuration exists in a hybrid state that is continuously evolving from an SMA to an MFR. Thus, the ‘dominant’ nature of a given configuration will largely depend on its evolutionary stage (SMA-like early-on, MFR-like near the eruption).

We investigate the statistical relationship between magnetic tilt angle and X-class flare productivity using 39 flare-productive active regions that produced 64 X-class flares. By classifying global magnetic tilt properties into four quadrants based on compliance with Hale’s and Joy’s laws, we identify their distinctive flare productivity characteristics. The Green quadrant (following both laws) contains 18 active regions producing 24 X-class flares, while the Yellow quadrant (following Hale’s law but violating Joy’s law) shows significantly enhanced productivity with 18 active regions producing 36 X-class flares. The Black quadrant (violating both laws), though containing only three active regions, produces four X-class flares. More importantly, flares in both the Yellow and Black quadrants exhibit systematically higher flare classes compared to those in the Green quadrant. Our statistical analysis demonstrates that violation of Hale’s or Joy’s law at the global scale is strongly associated with increased flare occurrence and flare intensity. Furthermore, examination of globally normal (Green quadrant) regions reveals that localized tilt anomalies are universally present and also contribute to X-class flare production. These results establish that abnormal magnetic tilt configurations—whether occurring at the global or local scale—are key indicators of major flare activity.

The largest geomagnetic storm in two decades occurred in 2024 May with a minimum D st of −412 nT. We examine its solar and interplanetary origins by combining multipoint imaging and in situ observations. The source active region, NOAA AR 13664, exhibited extraordinary activity and produced successive halo eruptions, which were responsible for two complex ejecta observed at the Earth. In situ measurements from STEREO A, which was 12.°6 apart, allow us to compare the “geo-effectiveness” at the Earth and STEREO A. We obtain key findings concerning the formation of solar superstorms and how mesoscale variations of coronal mass ejections affect geo-effectiveness: (1) the 2024 May storm supports the hypothesis that solar superstorms are “perfect storms” in nature, i.e., a combination of circumstances resulting in an event of an unusual magnitude; (2) the first complex ejecta, which caused the geomagnetic superstorm, shows considerable differences in the magnetic field and associated “geo-effectiveness” between the Earth and STEREO A, despite a mesoscale separation; and (3) two contrasting cases of complex ejecta are found in terms of the geo-effectiveness at the Earth, which is largely due to different magnetic field configurations within the same active region.

We present full-polarization observations of the four ground-state transitions of OH, carried out with the Australia Telescope Compact Array toward two very young planetary nebulae (PNe), IRAS 16333−4807 and IRAS 17393−2727. We detect Zeeman splitting in the 1720 MHz transition in IRAS 16333−4807, with magnetic field strengths of ∼2 to 9 mG, consistent with previous measurements. We also identify a possible reversal in the line-of-sight magnetic field component at −55.7 km s−1 (previously oriented toward us, now away from us), although this may be affected by spectral blending or variability. For IRAS 17393−2727, we derive magnetic field strengths of ∼3 to 20 mG at 1612 MHz, in agreement with earlier estimates. The linear polarization properties suggest a possible change in the orientation of the sky-plane component of the magnetic field. The data are consistent with variations in the magnetic field configuration in both PNe on timescales of a few years, although higher angular resolution and multiepoch observations are required to confirm this interpretation.

The tokamak approach, utilizing a toroidal magnetic field configuration to confine a hot plasma, is one of the most promising designs for developing reactors that can exploit nuclear fusion to generate electrical energy 1 , 2 . To reach the goal of an economical reactor, most tokamak reactor designs 3 – 10 simultaneously require reaching a plasma line-averaged density above an empirical limit—the so-called Greenwald density 11 —and attaining an energy confinement quality better than the standard high-confinement mode 12 , 13 . However, such an operating regime has never been verified in experiments. In addition, a long-standing challenge in the high-confinement mode has been the compatibility between a high-performance core and avoiding large, transient edge perturbations that can cause very high heat loads on the plasma-facing-components in tokamaks. Here we report the demonstration of stable tokamak plasmas with a line-averaged density approximately 20% above the Greenwald density and an energy confinement quality of approximately 50% better than the standard high-confinement mode, which was realized by taking advantage of the enhanced suppression of turbulent transport granted by high density-gradients in the high-poloidal-beta scenario 14 , 15 . Furthermore, our experimental results show an integration of very low edge transient perturbations with the high normalized density and confinement core. The operating regime we report supports some critical requirements in many fusion reactor designs all over the world and opens a potential avenue to an operating point for producing economically attractive fusion energy. A stable tokamak plasma has been demonstrated with a high plasma density and a high energy confinement quality, both of which are simultaneously important for fusion reactors.

The study of charged particle dynamics in the combined gravitational and magnetic field can provide important theoretical insight into astrophysical processes around black holes. In this paper, we explore the charged particle dynamics in parabolic magnetic field configuration around Schwarzschild black hole, since the paraboloidal shapes of magnetic field lines around black holes are well motivated by the numerical simulations and supported by observations of relativistic jets. Analysing the stability of bounded orbits and using the effective potential approach, we show the possibility of existence of stable circular off-equatorial orbits around the symmetry axis. We also show the influence of radiation reaction force on the dynamics of charged particles, in particular on the chaoticity of the motion and Poincaré sections, oscillatory frequencies, and emitted electromagnetic spectrum. Applied to Keplerian accretion disks, we show that in parabolic magnetic field configuration, the thin accretion configurations can be either destroyed or transformed into a thick toroidal structure given the radiation reaction and electromagnetic-disk interactions included. Calculating the Fourier spectra for radiating charged particle trajectories, we find that the radiation reaction force does not affect the main frequency peaks, however, it lowers the higher harmonics making the spectrum more flat and diluted in high frequency range.

Similar to the cases of anemone jets, two-sided loop solar jets can also be produced by either flux emergence from the solar interior or small-scale filament eruptions. Using high-quality data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory, we have analyzed a two-sided loop solar jet triggered by the eruption of a small filament. The jet occurred in a pre-existing big filament channel. The detailed processes involved in the eruption of the small filament, the interaction between the erupted filament and the big filament channel, and the launch of the two-sided loop jet are presented. The observations further revealed notable asymmetry between the two branches of the jet spire: the northeastern branch is narrow and short, while the southern branch is wide and long and accompanied by discernible untwisting motions. We explored the unique appearance of the jet by employing the method of local potential field extrapolation to calculate the coronal magnetic field configuration around the jet. The photospheric magnetic flux below the small filament underwent cancellation for approximately 7 hr before the filament eruption, and the negative flux near the southern footpoint of the filament decreased by about 56% during this interval. Therefore, we propose that the primary photospheric driver of the filament eruption and the associated two-sided loop jet in this event is flux cancellation rather than flux emergence.